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The Italian Garden

Located to the east of the castle, the spectacular Italian Garden was lovingly laid out in 1910 by Countess Cecilia, wife of the 14th Earl and mother to HM Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother, and designed by architect Arthur Castings.

Accessibility

Wheelchair friendly

Distance

400m from car park

Time

10-15 mins walk

Bursting with colour

The Italian Garden offers a place of serenity to take a stroll. It is a perfect combination of formal borders and lavish plantings which make it a thrilling kaleidoscope of colour throughout the spring and summer, typical of the splendour enjoyed in the Edwardian era. It’s raised terrace, stone fountain and gravel walks all add to the beauty and thoughtfulness of the space.

Perfect for spotting wildlife

There’s an abundance of wildlife to be spied amongst the plants including many species of butterfly, bees, pheasants and red squirrels. The Italian Garden is a wonderful place for children to spot animals and study their behaviours.

Look out for:

Vibrant verbena has been block planted in the spring and is in full bloom by August. It’s a bedding plant, but very tall and hard to miss. 

The wrought-iron ornamental gates at the entrance to the gardens were installed to commemorate HM Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother’s 80th birthday in 1980.