Explore the garden at Claremont

Discover all the hidden surprises of a historic garden, dating as far back as the early 1700s.

Lake and amphitheatre

The view from top of the grass amphitheatre at Claremont Landscape Garden, Surrey

The amphitheatre at Claremont

Learn about the magnificent turf amphitheatre at Claremont, designed by Charles Bridgeman, a real focal point in the garden.

Claremont's serpentine, man-made lake is the perfect spot for whatever mood you're in - rest, relaxation, or a fun family picnic. It rests below an eye-catching turf amphitheatre, the only surviving example of its kind in Europe, and likely the largest too. There's a wonderful view across the garden and lake from the top.

Historic highlights

Claremont was a playground for wealthy and influential owners over centuries of changing fashions, and you'll still find plenty of features from the garden's many different faces today:

Camellia Terrace: Once the site of Prince Leopold's large heated greenhouse, our nationally important collection of camellias now blooms in a beautiful display between December and mid-May.
Grotto: When formal gardens went out of style in the mid-1700s, a cascade was replaced with these three caves, designed to appear natural and precarious.
Animal statues: Before the island was added, an obelisk and three statues stood at the centre of the lake. Today the obelisk is gone, but the statues can be found on the path up to the Camellia Terrace.
Ha-ha: Instead of spoiling the view with a fence, landscapers in the eighteenth century had a novel way of stopping livestock getting into the pleasure grounds - a hidden wall in a ditch known as a ha-ha.
Island: In the middle of the lake opposite the amphitheatre is a small, man-made island. Our gardeners have worked hard to restore the view of the Belisle pavillion in the centre of the island, designed by William Kent and a favoured retreat of the Duke of Newcastle.

" - the happiest days of my otherwise dull childhood"

White benches

Do you want to learn more about Claremont's past? Look out for our white benches, based on those seen in the famous Master of the Tumbled Chairs painting of Claremont. Any bench with a quote from a historical figure will have a fascinating factsheet in the pocket at its side.

Visitors on a bench at Claremont Landscape Garden in Surrey — Take the weight off your feet and enjoy the beauty of your surroundings

Wildlife

Claremont's lake is home to many resident and visiting water birds, including ducks, geese and a black swan. Look out for rabbits, squirrels and parakeets among the trees. If you're really lucky, you might just catch a glimpse of a roe deer in the woods or a kingfisher diving in the lake.

Winter walkies

We welcome dogs on short leads between 1 October and 30 April, but restrict access over the spring and summer to protect our breeding waterfowl. To avoid disappointment, please check with us before you travel.

Feed the birds

Pick up a bag or two of bird seed from our kiosk and you'll be guaranteed a warm welcome from our waterfowl when you enter the garden. All we ask for is a small donation.