New Head Gardener Tackles a Challenging Horticultural Induction in World's Oldest Topiary Garden

For the first time in 40 years, a late 17th century Cumbrian house has a change of occupant.  The new resident, Gillian Boyle, also happens to be the very first woman to have called the house home, as part of her unique new horticultural job at Levens Hall and Gardens.

She is now currently tackling the mammoth task of performing the annual hair-cut of over 100 topiary trees, including two gigantic Umbrella Trees, which are 300 years old and over 10 metres high.  Being thrown into the deep end in quite this way is probably one of the bigger challenges facing someone just starting their new role.  It might be too daunting an induction for some to contemplate, but Gillian is taking it all in her stride.

Buckinghamshire-born Gillian started out as a secondary school geography teacher.  This was not her calling, however, and she went travelling for a period of time, getting more deeply involved in the organic farming, and fruit and vegetable growing, that she loved and for which she had a natural affinity.

A Diploma in Horticulture was the next step, with this then leading to a role with the National Trust at Hidcote Manor in Gloucestershire.

A move up to Cumbria occurred in 2019, as Gillian took on a job at a private garden near Windermere.  This brought her geographically closer to Levens Hall and Gardens – a place she had previously visited and fallen in love with.  At that point, she never dreamed she would one day be at the helm.

Now, Gillian and her partner are firmly ensconced in Beaumont’s Cottage, located within the garden at Levens Hall and Gardens, near Kendal, and right next to the World’s Oldest Topiary garden, into which Gillian can step out every day.  It has been the abode of all of the head gardeners to have worked at Levens Hall and Gardens, the roll call amazingly totalling just 11 names before Gillie’s appointment, in a period of time spanning a massive 332 years.

It was built for the rather elusive Monsieur Guillaume Beaumont, who laid out the gardens and founded the Topiary Garden in 1694.  It became a Cumbrian home for the former gardener to King James II, who allegedly created the Wilderness Garden at Hampton Court.  The man, about whom we know little, but who was rumoured to have worked with Andre Le Nôtre at Versailles, needed somewhere to dwell on his move up north, where his master, Colonel Grahme, had been the former Keeper of the Privy Purse and Master of the Buckhounds, again for James II.

Since Beaumont’s time, each of the 11 head gardeners – the custodians of the incredible topiary and extensive gardens around them – have lived in the house.  The last resident was Chris Crowder, who called it home for 40 years.  That may seem a very long tenure but it is by no means the longest when you examine the new tree sculpture that has just been erected in the gardens and which bears the name of all 11 custodians prior to Gillian and the dates in which they had the gardens under their careful watch.

Gillian says: “I am now working with an incredible group of gardeners, who are all passionate about Levens Hall and its gardens, and I feel very fortunate to be part of such a team. There is always plenty to do and lots of variety.  It’s lovely to share the garden with visitors and see them enjoying this special place.”

Gillian intends to take her time to learn all about the gardens, observing how they change with the seasons and all the different tasks that need doing.  Any alterations will be carefully considered with a focus on maintaining the historic integrity of the gardens, working with nature and building resilience into ways of working to adapt to a changing climate.  

One of her favourite areas of the gardens already is the Orchard – a part of the garden beloved by previous head gardener, Chris Crowder, too.  She also finds the Beech Circle a magical location, as one stands surrounded by the circle of towering Beech Hedge, which also dates back to Beaumont’s time.

Naturally, the topiary will demand huge amounts of attention, as she ensures that older pieces, many over 150 years of age, can be given the right care, or new lease of life, if required.  Over the centuries, this has long been the way, with certain pieces taking on whole new identities as nature has shaped them and taken their form in different directions.  Currently, Gillian is learning all of the folklore around each piece and how it came to have its name.

Her notebook is becoming rammed with information, ideas and observations, as she starts to lay out her plan for the future, in a fully considered way.  In the meantime, she’s hitting the cherry picker running, with over 100 topiary pieces and a 50-metre-long, towering Beech Hedge, 5 metres high and 5 metres wide, to trim.  Added to that, there is a whole army of visitors to entertain and inform, as they watch this happening and pose questions right through the month of October this year, which has never been the case before.

This work will continue behind the scenes throughout the winter.  It could all be far too much for some, but for Gillian and Levens Hall and Gardens it is the start of a new chapter.

For further information about Levens Hall admission, which grants access to the trimming up to November 8, visit www.levenshall.co.uk

Note to Editors

Press are welcome to film the annual trimming of the Levens Hall topiary, and/or interview Gillian Boyle, by prior arrangement.  Please contact Jane Hunt on jane@catapultpr.co.uk to discuss times and dates.

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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.