The Long Garden at Cliveden

Cliveden Long Garden being mowed in summer

In the Long Garden you'll find huge beds of seasonal flowers displayed amongst a collection of quirky topiary and sculptures

Colourful combinations to come

Every Spring and Summer there's a new floral scheme creating a mass of colour within the four box-edged central beds and along the bricked walled border.

Blue Pearl hyacinths in the Cliveden Long Garden.
The Cliveden Long Garden flowers in previous years.
Blue Pearl hyacinths in the Cliveden Long Garden.

Space for sculpture

This aptly named garden was created by William Waldorf Astor in 1896 to display some of his classical sculpture collection. Notable pieces include four 18th-century stone characters from the Commedia dell’ Arte in the centre of the garden, two ancient Egyptian baboons and the striking marble figures of Nautica and Marco Polo at the eastern end.

The Long Garden, Cliveden
One of the baboon statues in the Long Garden at Cliveden, Buckinghamshire
The Long Garden, Cliveden

Italian inspiration

Taking elements from gardens he’d seen in Italy, Lord Astor created the long, narrow central beds and planted climbers along the boundary wall. Originally two unbroken beds, it was his son and daughter-in-law, Waldorf and Nancy, who modified the design to make four beds with a large central space as we see today.

Norah and Nancy

During the inter-war years, Nancy Astor worked closely with socialite-turned-gardener Norah Lindsay to devise herbaceous schemes for the Long Garden. Designed to peak for Ascot week, the central beds were filled with bright red, yellow and orange blooms in the centre with the colours fading to pinks, creams and mauves towards the edges. Although different, today’s modern scheme ensures a striking spectacle in spring and summer.