Garden Visit Leonardslee Lakes and Gardens

The story of an historic Grade 1 in West Sussex is a phoenix rising from the ashes. Or rather, being re-discovered under years of weeds and tangled shrubs.

Garden Visit Leonardslee Lakes and Gardens relates a part of this tale. As a member of the Garden Media Guild I was invited to a pre-opening event. So I was able to take a snapshot of the gardens, to see the vast amount of restorative work that has been carried out and to hear the plans for further improvements.

At the time of its re-opening to the public this month, April 2019, Leonardslee had been closed since 2010.

Some Garden History behind my Garden Visit

What’s in a name? Well, a lea is another name for a valley. St Leonard’s Forest lies within the High Weald, which hundreds of years ago was fully wooded. It partly encompasses the village of Lower Beeding and the estate gardens at Leonardslee. Leonard was probably the 6th century Saint Leonard, who has links with nearby Bramber Castle. And, as I visited in April, St George’s month, it seems fitting to mention that St Leonard may have slain the last dragon in England. And so, we get to the name Leonardslee. See here for a pictorial timeline of the gardens and estate.

The 19th century is when the gardens began to take on the aspect we saw in our preview visit. During the first half of the century, the Beauclerk family started planting ornamental shrubs and trees. They were succeeded by the Hubbards, who built the Grade 2 listed Italianate mansion. Then the estate came into the hands of Sir Edmund Loder through his parents-in-law in the late 19th century. This is when the incredible array of Rhododendrons, Azaleas and Camellias in particular were planted.

Leonardslee and the Loder Family

Loder family members also owned The High Beeches and Wakehurst Place and there was friendly rivalry between the families and their Head Gardeners. Leonardslee was different in having unusual livestock as well as rare plants. Wallabies, Beavers and Capybaras being just some of them; and there still are Wallabies resident here. Although I forgot to ask whether they’re still used in the lawn mowing capacity…

Sir Edmund Loder had bought an estate which was already planted in the Picturesque style, with woodland plantings of Rhododendron, Azaleas and other acid loving shrubs. He developed the ornamental woodland further. Initially he concentrated on collecting these shrubs; funding plant collecting expeditions. But as time passed, he felt the need to improve Rhododendrons so that they were more suitable for growing in the British climate and soil.

This passion became intrinsic to his gardening and to Leonardslee Garden. Loder developed hybrids which led him to be known as the man pivotal in the development of Rhododendrons for English gardens. Rhododendron hybridisation is a long-term project; some take 20 years to flower! Many of his successes can be seen in the gardens today; including Rhododendron x loderi. Which first had public viewing back in 1907 when the gardens opened to the public for the first time.

Loder also had a rock garden built of Pulhamite. One of the beauties of using this artificial material is that plant pockets can be ‘built in’ where required . But you’d be hard pressed to know that the rocks are artificial – wWhich is, of course, the idea.

There is a memorial to Sir Edmund Loder in the valley, a Sussex millstone, with a wonderful view and the inscription: –

“To the memory of Edmund Giles Loder, who made and loved these gardens”

Head Gardeners Tour – Garden Visit Leonardslee Lakes and Gardens

Firstly, many thanks to Ray Abraham, Head Gardener, for showing us around and imparting some of his intimate knowledge of the gardens. Ray’s first visit to the gardens was as teenager in 1972.

The soil is a light loam overlaying a bedrock of sandstone which is the main reason why ericaceous, acid-loving, plants flourish. Although the Rhododendrons, Azaleas, Camellias and Magnolias are the obvious motive for a spring visit, they aren’t the only plants of interest. There are 192 plants growing here which are on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. This makes them very precious to global biodiversity. Some 95 trees have Champion status, including one of the 200 Oak species, Quercus canariensis and the Sicilian Fir, Abies nebrodensis. This Abies is on the IUCN Red List.

One of the problems with gardening on a high ridge is high winds, and a mature Metasequoia was a casualty in the 1987 storm. Ray was able to show us that it had left behind a ‘baby’. Breathe sigh of relief! Metasequoia glyptostroboides, the Dawn Redwoods, are among those trees on the endangered list.

We also enjoyed the sight of many pre-1900 varieties of Narcissus. Not merely a host of golden daffodils dancing on the breeze, but white flowered, trumpets of different lengths, some sweetly scented…

One of my fellow Garden Media Guild members is a garden historian and was overjoyed to see such interesting Narcissus.

Garden Visit Leonardslee Lakes and Gardens

Regular readers of Plews Potting Shed know how much I enjoy finding inspiration in the gardens I visit. And they also know that not only do I wax lyrical over pre 1900 Narcissus but also over interesting juxtapositions of shape, colour and form. The old engine, or pump shed, next the engine pond, supplied water to the estate. To me it is interesting as a building but also for the idea behind it: to make use of the water already on site.

Garden Visit Leonardslee Lakes and Gardens is only the first of the articles that I’ll be writing on this historic garden as the work continues and yet more plant treasures are discovered. Not forgettign watching the progressof the new vineyard planting. There are non-plant excitements too! There are the lakes, some of which are Medieval in origin, to fully explore. Plus the historic Pulhamite Rockery and fascinating ‘Beyond the Dolls House’ exhibition. Whatever may happen at Leonardslee in the 21st Century, I feel it’s in good hands with the Streeter Family and Head Gardener Ray in charge.