World Topiary Day Event to Explain Cup and Saucer’s Fate

Chris Crowder, head gardener at Levens Hall and Gardens, is going all out to take the art of topiary out to a worldwide audience, whilst preparing to give visitors to Levens Hall and Gardens a rare chance to just focus on the world’s oldest topiary garden and learn the answers to some quirky questions, such as ‘Whatever happened to the cup and saucer?’  

To celebrate Levens Hall and Gardens’ global celebration, World Topiary Day, Chris has been working extensively with the French branch of the EBTS (European Box and Topiary Society), featuring in videos and liaising with gardens across the world.

He has also just recorded a podcast, highlighting why his Lake District topiary garden is so special – and not just as a Guinness World Record holder for being the oldest topiary garden in the world.

Chris is now preparing to deliver amazing insights to visitors to Levens Hall and Gardens on May 12 (World Topiary Day), by leading three different tours that differ from any others given at Levens, as they will just focus on the topiary garden and tell the stories of the trees within it.

With over 100 topiary pieces, cut into geometric, abstract and themed shapes that depict objects and characters, there are many stories to tell and some brilliant photos to capture.

The tours – at 11am, 1pm and 3pm  – will allow visitors to hear things such as which topiary piece lost its tail, which Henry Moore abstract started life as something else, which is the trickiest piece to trim, whatever happened to the cup and saucer and where did that Dutch Oven go?  

The trees will be brought to life in a way that will thrill everyone, even the most amateur of gardeners, whilst tips will be provided for those wanting to start their own topiary garden.

As Chris explains on the podcast, there are various ways to do that, with just a little patience required.  The Levens Hall and Gardens’ topiary garden has, after all, been on the landscape since 1694.

For those who cannot get to Levens Hall and Gardens on World Topiary Day itself, the gardens will have some quiz activities on Sunday May 15, when visitors can self-guide themselves around the gardens.  They can also take part in an online quiz that has 50 questions, with each one relating to one of the global participants in this year’s event. 

“We have literally inspired gardens around the world to come together in a shared celebration of topiary, with our garden at the centre of it all,” says Levens Hall and Gardens’ owner, Richard Bagot.  “Our celebration is just over a year old, so to have more than 60 formal gardens taking part is truly remarkable.  We will have gardens from the USA to Madeira sharing the love of topiary on social media and staging events in their own space.  We could not be prouder.”

To listen to the podcast, head to https://bit.ly/3vQaJDw and to find out more about the event, visit https://www.levenshall.co.uk/gardens/world-topiary-day   Admission charges will be as standard on May 12.

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Editors notes

Levens Hall & Gardens is a historic house in the South Lakes, Cumbria, close to Kendal and home to the world's oldest topiary gardens, dating from 1694, created by French garden designer, Guillaume Beaumont. The Hall is a stunning Elizabethan house built around a 13th century pele tower and has close links to the Duke of Wellington, as well as various items which once belonged to him and Napoleon Bonaparte. Levens Park is home to the rare Bagot goats gifted to the Bagot family and a place in which to stroll and enjoy nature. Levens Kitchen is the contemporary new cafe, full of delights for cake lovers and foodies alike.