Visiting the garden at Dudmaston

Things to see in the garden

The historic garden at Dudmaston is a work of art in itself and includes many interesting features such as the herbaceous border, the rose border, bog garden, rockery and American garden. Look out for the Laboucheres' collection of Modern Art sculptures which can be seen throughout the garden, including The Watcher and Space Frame, both by local artist Anthony Twentyman.

The herbaceous border

The contemporary plant scheme includes a mixture of perennials, including echinacea, aster, sedum, helenium, thalicrum and grasses such as miscanthus and stipa.

Lady Labouchere's rose border

There is a mixture of old roses such as gallicas and damasks as well as shrub roses (rugosas and modern) with a white, pink and red colour scheme. This border is named after Lady Labouchere who created it but, sadly, she never saw the rewards as she passed away only a few months later.

Bog garden

Situated at the edge of Big Pool next to the reed beds, this part of the garden is planted with stilbe, iris, primulas, euphorbias, bamboos, ferns, eupatorium, acanthus, gunneras and day lilies.

The Gunnera manicata, which originate from South America and Africa, is a dramatic plant with its huge leaves that resemble rhubarb leaves.

Discover the rockery

The rockery has been designed with a contour of lavenders and grasses at the top, a contemporary style which encourages bees and butterflies, and continues Dudmaston’s tradition of pushing the boundaries of artistic expression.

The rockery is planted with drought-tolerant species: the well-draining soil at the top is planted with Mediterranean species like cistaceae, whilst the stonier ground below is now home to many Alpine and Norwegian plants, a reference to the specimens brought to Dudmaston by Geoffrey Wolryche-Whitmore.

Finally, the rockery’s lowest extent is filled with sun-loving iris, Rachel Labouchere’s favourite flower, which create a burst of blue and green in early summer.

Views from the rockery

The best view of the prospect across Big Pool can be found from the top of the rockery, where you can enjoy the colours whatever the season.

The border is planted with Mediterranean plants such as the rock rose (cistus), phlomis, erigeron lavenders, rosemary, potentilla and euphorbia.

American garden

This part of the garden was originally planted with hybrid rhododendrons which come from America.

Many of these original rhododendron were killed by the severe winter of 1981–1982 and this area was extensively replanted with plants such as rhododendron, magnolias (which produce a wonderful creamy yellow flower in May and June), eucryphias and azaleas. There are also flowering cherry trees and Japanese acers near the American garden.