Things to see in the garden at Lytes Cary Manor

Sunken Garden at Lytes Cary | © National Trust Images/Andrew Butler

The garden at Lytes Cary Manor is laid out in a series of garden 'rooms'. High hedges create a garden full of unexpected delight, with a surprise round every corner and plenty of 'secret' spaces to discover, as well as a palette of colour and scent that provides year-round interest.

Exploring the garden

It's easy to spend several hours wandering through the garden at Lytes Cary Manor. From the formality of clipped yew and open lawns to classic English herbaceous borders and wildlife-friendly orchards, you'll find plenty to admire.

Conservation work is a continual process in the garden. There'll be interpretation boards to explain someof the longer rwestoration projects, and our knowledgeable gardeners will always answer any questions.

The Apostle Garden

The pathway to the main entrance of the house is lined with 12 yew trees known as the Apostles. The trees were planted by Sir Walter and Lady Flora Jenner more than a century ago.

Over time, the yews grew too big for the space, making them difficult to cut. A programme of renovation began in 2023 to decrease the height and width, bringing them back into scale with the surrounding garden – pictures of the garden from 1947 show the shrubs at least one metre away from the path.

The National Trust Plant Conservation Centre took cuttings, as these yews were planted in 1910 and it is important to make sure we keep a genetic record of them. The trees will look a bit bare for a while, but with plenty of tlc from the garden team to speed regrowth, the Apostles shouldn’t need renovating again for another 50 years.

Topiary shapes

Other artistic designs have been cut into the hedges found throughout the garden. Look out for the topiary peacock, globular domes, angular pillars and softer cloud-shaped hedges. Challenge younger visitors to find as many different shapes as they can.

Main border

Through the beautiful brick wall is the Main border – a magnificent herbaceous border filled with colour in the summer. Take your time strolling along this beautiful example of a classic English border; there's a lot to see.

Croquet Lawn

The wide open space of the Croquet Lawn (fancy a game? There are hoops set out in sumer) provides a contrast, with views out to open countryside. The border along the house is planted with a variety of herbvs and medicinal plants, linking back to Henry Lyte's ground-breaking book, the Niewe Herball, on display in the house.

Sunken Garden

This smaller space is a charming secret garden, with low walls creating borders filled with herbaceous perennials.

Round the side of the house, you'll find another opening leads to the formal West Terrace and garden, filled with roses and herbs. Head past the white border, jam-packed with flowers in the summer, and turn a corner to find yourself in the Chrerry Orchard.

Cherry Orchard

This area is managed for wildlife. Grass is left to grow long under the cherry trees, which create a canopy of blossom in the spring. You'll find benches and seating where you can while away an hour listening to the song of the crickets. Bear right to find bog garden and 'secret' path to the Vase Garden.

The garden at Lytes Cary Manor, Somerset — The garden in autumn at Lytes Cary Manor, Somerset | © National Trust Images/James Dobson

Silent Space in the Vase Garden

Silent Space is a charity that encourages gardens open to the public to reserve an area where visitors can take time to reflect quietly and to enjoy the beauty of the garden and the sounds of nature without distractions. Here at Lytes Cary Manor, the Vase Garden is where you can switch off for a tranquil moment, enjoying the sounds of the garden. For more information on Silent Space, visit the website https://silentspace.org.uk

The Jenners’ pond

A four-year renovation project has recreated the Jenners’ Pond Garden. Follow your nose in the summer, as it links to the Lavender Garden, underplanted with colourful annuals.

The Orchard

From the Pond Garden, you can find the main Orchard, alive with bees and insects throughout the spring and summer. Come in the spring for blossom, cowslips and daffodils, the summer for waving grasses and the autumn for sun-ripened fruit, including quince, medlar and crab apple.