Enjoy a Topiary Extravaganza

Celebrate World Topiary Day on Sunday May 12 in the garden of its founder, Levens Hall and Gardens, which is marking the day with a very special admissions price offer, one-day-only topiary tours, art hide-and-seek and a special art workshop.

The Cumbrian-based gardens, near Kendal, will be offering admission for £3.30 per head during the first hour of opening on Sunday (10am to 11am).  After that, standard admissions will apply.  The £3.30 is to mark the 330thanniversary of the world’s oldest topiary garden – a Guinness World Record-holding garden.

Head gardener, Chris Crowder, who has tended over 100 pieces of amazing themed and shaped topiary trees in the garden since 1986, will be leading special topiary tours at 11am, 1pm and 3pm.

These will explain about the huge Giant Umbrella Tree and massive Beech Hedge and what it takes to cut and shape those iconic pieces of topiary, as well as highlighting how pieces of topiary have developed and which tools are used to maintain them. 

The talk will also highlight some of the many characters in the whimsical gardens, from Queen Elizabeth I and her Maids of Honour, to the Judge’s Wig, the Top Hat, the Toppling Wedding Cake and even Darth Vader and Homer Simpson.  Chris may even explain how one changed its identity!

Meanwhile, artist Bob Sutcliffe will be painting in the gardens and offering an art workshop. Eleven of his works of art have also been hidden in the gardens, so families can play art hide-and-seek.

Families can discover how to enter a Beaumont Banner competition – to design a topiary equivalent of a Google Doodle, with the competition named in honour of the gardens’ 1694 founder, Guillaume Beaumont.

They can also spend hours exploring all of the other delightful areas of the Levens Hall gardens, from the Fountain Garden, Beech Circle and Croquet Lawn, to the red/blue and pastel borders, Orchard, Herb Garden and Willow Labyrinth. With a children’s playground and lots of space, all the family can be entertained.

Levens Kitchen will be serving up topiary-themed edible delights too and the Levens shop will have topiary-themed items to take home as gifts.

Head to www.levenshall.co.uk to get directions.  All of the activities are included in the standard ticket price, which after the special £3.30 per head offer expires at 11am will be £11.50 for an adult, £5.50 for a child and £39 for a family ticket, for gardens-only admission.  Tickets can be bought online and it is also well worth considering Hall and Gardens admission, to view a delightful Elizabethan Hall with some incredible features and strong ties to the Duke of Wellington.

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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.