The garden at Shaw's Corner

The garden at Shaw’s Corner extends to three and a half acres surrounding the Edwardian villa and is in a conservation area. The gardens have been kept as Shaw liked them, and photos inside the house show Shaw in the garden, looking much as it does today.

Wander in the gardens

The north approach to the house, which used to be the carriage drive, is formal and simple. Enjoy the scent of the cherry blossom in flower as the scent drifts along the drive.

To the front the of the house, a rolling lawn unfolds, bright green and pristinely lined.  An ideal spot to take a moment’s rest and enjoy the gardens. In summer the herbaceous borders are a riot of colour, filled with bright alliums, yellow achillea, foxgloves and delphiniums.

The gardens are also home to a wildflower meadow, in which cowslips can be found in spring, followed by swathes of native wildflowers in summer. The wildflower meadow is home to chalkland flowers and is designated a Local Wildlife Site by the Wildlife Trust.

Bernard Shaw himself kept bees and our team today keeps this tradition alive, with beehives that can be found in the corner of the garden. 

The orchard to the west is planted with apple, cherry and pear trees, bringing sweet-smelling blossom in spring. The trees are underplanted with bright Narcissi, blooming in March and April. Enjoy the peace and tranquillity of this space, a lovely spot to sit and watch the birds visiting the feeders. 

Shaw's Writing Hut

A stroll to the bottom of the garden reveals one of the most famous garden sheds - Shaw’s wonderful revolving Writing Hut. 

Shaw’s famous writing hut is tucked away at the bottom of the garden and would have had far views of the surrounding countryside. The wooden hut was mounted on a revolving mechanism so that as he worked, Shaw could follow the sun throughout the day. Tucked away behind trees, this is the place where many of his plays were written.