A landscape with drama and romance
From the early 18th century, British landscape gardeners had been creating gardens inspired by pictures, but by 1800 a backlash had set in. Critics considered the grassy vistas designed by Capability Brown too smooth and tidy. Scotney's picturesque garden is a last fling in this backlash style of gardening.
A fairytale feel
The garden has naturalistic planting which is seemingly untouched by human hand and its cloud-like planting of rhododendrons and azaleas creates a fairytale feel, with the ruins of the Old Castle at its centre. Wisteria and old English roses adorn its sandstone walls, whilst the surrounding herbaceous beds are always throwing out new colours throughout the seasons.
The Castle is clothed in climbing Wisteria, Roses and Clematis, and herbaceous beds give colour and interest during the summer months. The terraces around the house are managed for the rare green-winged orchids, a plant that was in decline after WWII but thrives in lawns around the house. Venture further away from the castle and you discover a thatched Ice House, acres of wild meadows alive with butterflies and insect, and the stream that feeds water to the moat.