Enjoy a Uniquely Themed Holiday Thanks to New 'Topiary Tourism' Guide

Have you ever thought of basing a holiday or short break around topiary?  Have you considered weaving your way around France, exploring all the topiary delights that French gardens can provide, before or after visiting the world’s oldest topiary garden at Levens Hall and Gardens in the Lake District?

This is now a very real option, thanks to a new Topiary Tourism Guide created by the Guinness World Record holding garden, whose topiary garden dates from 1694.

Since Levens Hall and Gardens founded the annual May celebration of World Topiary Day four years ago, topiary tourism across the world has received a huge boost.  By working closely with the European Boxwood and Topiary Society, it has made the event a truly global celebration, with 35 worldwide gardens, in the UK, Italy, France, Belgium and the USA, all having officially celebrated this year.  

To mark this fact, the Topiary Tourism Guide has been born. This explains what each of these gardens has to offer to the lover of topiary and includes stunning photos that show the essence of each garden’s appeal.  

Naturally, the Levens Hall Topiary Garden, home to over 100 whimsical and cleverly shaped topiary pieces, features.  This is just one of several themed gardens at Levens Hall and Gardens and includes the huge Umbrella Tree, previously voted one of the UK’s favourite trees and well over 300 years old. 

With everything from a Top Hat and Toppling Wedding Cake, to Queen Elizabeth I and her Maids of Honour and Darth Vader, it is a garden with an Alice in Wonderland, magical quality.

However, of equal interest, as you read the booklet, are French gardens such as Marqueyssac, Eyrignac and Chateau de Losse in the Dordogne, the Monumental Gardens of Valsanzibio in Italy, the Château et Jardins de La Ballue in Brittany, Les Jardins du Manoir de Favry and numerous other gardens around the Loire, the Van Burren Museum and Gardens in Belgium and Longwood Gardens in the USA. These are just some of the 35 featured.

The booklet allows the garden lover to compare and contrast different topiary styles and discover unique things to see and do.

The numerous French gardens are helpfully listed in a north to south fashion, to assist with trip planning and details of each garden’s website is provided.  

The 2024 Topiary Tourism Guide can be downloaded from a clickable banner link at https://www.levenshall.co.uk/gardens/world-topiary-day, by anyone wishing to plan their next day out, or foreign holiday, around topiary.  Even if not intending to make a visit, it’s a good read for any garden lover who fancies an hour of mindfulness hopping between garden descriptions on the page.

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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.