Celebrate World Topiary Day at Levens Hall and Gardens

The world’s oldest topiary garden, Levens Hall and Gardens, will be celebrating its third World Topiary Day on Sunday May 14, 2023, offering a blend of gardening inspiration, music and topiary-themed activities.

The Cumbrian-based gardens, whose Topiary Garden was founded in 1694 by the first head gardener, Monsieur Guillaume Beaumont, will be enticing keen gardeners to the Lake District, with three special topiary themed tours, unavailable during the rest of the year.

Led by the 11th head gardener, Chris Crowder, at 11am, 1pm and 3pm, these ‘Talking Topiary’ tours will help visitors learn more about the amazing topiary pieces within the Topiary Garden, whether shaped to support a particular theme or eye-catching geometric pieces in golden yew.

With some topiary over 300 years old, and other trees well over 150 years of age, there is much history to impart.  Walking into a garden often described as the Wonderland which Alice stumbled upon, there are also some real characters to discover, whether it’s the Great Umbrella Tree, Queen Elizabeth I and her maids of honour, the Judge’s Wig or Darth Vader!

Tips about topiary upkeep and how to get started with topiary will be provided and visitors will be free to also explore the rest of the gardens, which include the beautiful Fountain Garden, the Orchard, the Pastel and Red Borders, the Bowling Green, the Herb Garden, the Beech Circle and the Labyrinth.  Don’t forget to also look out for England’s oldest ha-ha.

The European Boxwood and Topiary Society (EBTS) will also be on hand to give some table-top topiary demonstrations, imparting lots of knowledge about topiary and how best to get started, or keep specimens in tip-top condition.

Other activities will also be laid on for visitors, including children’s activities and a quiz.  Meanwhile, the Levens Hall and Gardens shop will have plenty of topiary-themed items to purchase as souvenirs.

A range of award-winning food and drink can also be enjoyed in the contemporary café, Levens Kitchen.

Gardens only tickets can be bought online at a cost of £10.50 for an adult, £4 for a child and £26 for a family.  Joint admission for Hall and Gardens can be purchased on arrival, costing £14.50, £5 and £36 respectively.  This enables ticketholders to also see the stunning Elizabethan home, its amazing décor and items of interest, and various exhibits with a link to the Duke of Wellington.

Head to www.levenshall.co.uk to discover more. 

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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.