Levens Hall and Gardens Hails the Advent of ‘Topiary Tourism’

Levens Hall and Gardens, a heritage property close to Kendal in the Southern Lake District, believes it has created a new concept in the world of travel – topiary tourism.

Ahead of its own special celebration of the art of clipping trees into geometric, abstract and themed shapes, World Topiary Day (May 12th), the owner of the world’s oldest topiary garden has created a worldwide phenomenon, making topiary truly cool once again.

Levens Hall and Gardens founded World Topiary Day in lockdown and celebrated as it could, with only its gardens able to open, on May 12th last year.  The date is significant for Levens Hall and Gardens, as it was that on which its infamous Radish Feast was held in the late 17th and early 18th centuries and also at a time of year at which the topiary garden is at its most pristine, having enjoyed its over-winter pampering.

The concept of having a World Topiary Day has really taken off, however, and nearly 60 gardens around the world are known to be celebrating this special day this year.  Whilst Levens Hall and Gardens remains at the heart of it all, the day will be celebrated by over 30 different gardens in France, including big-hitters, the Palace of Versailles, Les Jardins Suspendus de Marqueyssac and and Eyrignac et Ses Jardins,by various gardens in the USA, and in Belgium, Madeira and Spain.

Each is contributing their own spin on topiary tourism.  At Levens Hall and Gardens, head gardener, Chris Crowder, will be pouring over 30 years’ experience of managing the Guinness-World-Record-holding topiary into three specific topiary tours, at 11am, 1pm and 3pm.  There will be quizzes and topiary themed items in abundance as souvenirs, plus an online quiz in which each answer relates to one of the participants from around the world.

In France, many gardens are holding talks and workshops.  In California, Jardin de Buis is bringing in a jazz band and offering a topiary pruning workshop, given by a former contributing editor to Martha Stewart, the name behind last year’s Discovery Channel programme ‘Clipped’, a reality TV show focused on topiary challenges.

In other parts of England too, gardens, like Elton Hall in Cambridgeshire, are also embracing the opportunity to put their topiary centre stage.

“Suddenly, topiary tourism is a ‘thing’, whether people want to appreciate quirky shapes, breathe in the benefits of biophilia, achieve mindfulness, or learn how to start a new hobby,” says Levens Hall and Gardens’ owner, Richard Bagot.  “A garden art form that has always gone in and out of fashion, is suddenly à la mode again and we could not be prouder of the part we have played.”

Of course, topiary never went out of fashion at Levens Hall and Gardens – a rather remarkable situation that has left trees from the original 1694 garden, started by Monsieur Guillaume Beaumont, in situ today, with over 300 years of history to impart.  Now, the heritage gardens are rightfully championing the glories of clipped trees on a worldwide stage, ensuring that topiary will be on our map for a very long time to come but also creating the brand-new concept of ‘topiary tourism’ – a breath of fresh air for many of the world’s most historic gardens.

Additional Information

Levens Hall and Gardens is open for topiary lovers from April to October each year, with the topiary garden being just one of the facets of gardens that also include the UK’s oldest ha ha and many other features.

The garden was founded in 1694, by Monsieur Guillaume Beaumont, a former gardener to King James II.  There have been 10 head gardeners at Levens Hall and Gardens, each contributing something to the topiary garden.

Levens Hall and Gardens opens Sunday to Thursday (closed Fridays and Saturdays) to October 6, 2022.  Gardens’ opening hours are 10am to 5pm, with last entry at 4pm.  The Hall opens at 10am for tours and at 11am for general admission and is open until 3.30pm (last entry at 3pm).

Levens Kitchen opens every day, from 10am to 5pm to October 6, 2022 and then closes one hour earlier thereafter, through to December 23, 2022.  The gift shop opens from 10am to 5pm until October 6 and then closes at 3pm, until December 23, 2022.

Adult entrance costs £14.50 for Gardens and tour of the Hall.  A child’s ticket is priced at £5 and a family ticket at £36.  Gardens-only tickets are priced at £10.50, £4 and £26, respectively.  Hall and Gardens tickets currently have to be bought on the day, but Gardens-only tickets can be purchased online at www.levenshall.co.uk

A podcast interview with Chris Crowder, talking about the topiary and World Topiary Day can be found here:

bit.ly/3vQaJDw 

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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.