It wasn’t until 1913 that the RHS’s jewel in the crown show pitched its then-solitary marquee on the lawns at the Royal Chelsea Hospital. The Great Spring Show — as it was then known — was lauded by Country Life at the time as: '…undoubtably the best and most extensive that the society has ever held.'
Among the novelties on show were the-now Spring staples of Darwin and May-flowering tulips, which apparently were not in fashion at the time. The report notes their inclusion in the show: '…would lead one to think that at last the merits of these beautiful and useful flowers are being properly realised.'
Fast forward 112 years, and the 2025 Flower Show now covers an astonishing 11 acre site. As preparations get underway for Chelsea, we take a gentle meander (Pimms in hand, naturally) through the Country Life Archives for 10 gardens from across our Isles where inspiration may be sought to create your own, personal horticultural idyll.
Scampston Hall and Walled Garden, Malton, North Yorkshire
The Palladian Bridge at the end of three linked lakes at Scampston, designed by Capability Brown.
Quietly situated off the roaring A64 to Scarborough is a gem of perpetual reinvention. At Scampston Hall, not only do you get a majestic, generous 80 acre landscape laid out by Capability Brown in the 1770’s, you also get an early, and still the largest privately commissioned Piet Oudolf planting in the UK.
Conceived in 1999, the Walled Garden at Scampston has been divided into 10 distinct compartments, each showcasing different, perennial schemes to delight in.
Open March to November.
The Harold Peto Garden, Heale Gardens, Wiltshire
Formality and romanticism stroll hand-in-hand around the gardens of Heale House.
A signature Peto pergola, festooned with laburnum and wisteria.
Seemingly remote, yet only four miles from Salisbury, Heale House and Gardens were purportedly Charles II hid for almost an entire week following the Battle of Worcester in 1651.
Moving into the 20th century, Harold Peto was commissioned to re-shape parts of the gardens to modernise them in line with the property’s East Wing creation, under the watchful eye of Detmar Blow.
Architectural features mix with innovative planting, a signature of Peto’s work.
Open March to October.
The Cottage Garden, Gwaenynog, Denbighshire
The iconic potting shed with Gothic window overlooking the cottage gardens.
It’s hard to think of a more delightful cottage garden than the one that inspired Beatrix Potter to write and illustrate the Tale of the Flopsy Bunnies.
Perfect fodder for naughty bunnies — the kitchen garden at Gwaenynog.
The home of Potter’s uncle Fred Burton, the gardens feature the prerequisite vegetable plot, complete with lush, giant cabbages, and the potting shed which acted as the model for the antagonistic Mr McGregor in the book.
The gardens open occasionally in aid of the NGS.
The Rose Garden, Borde Hill, West Sussex
Jay Robin’s Rose Garden at Borde Hill features more than 750 fragrant David Austin roses.
Owned by the Stephenson Clarke family for over 130 years, the Borde Hill estate features thirteen 'garden rooms' — one of which is its jaw-dropping rose garden.
Conceived by Robin Williams in 1996, the garden features over 750 varieties of rose, the majority of which are from the David Austin nurseries. Prepare for a gentle assault on the eyes and the nose as you enter this most fragrant of gardens.
Open February to December.
The Water Garden, Stobo, Scottish Borders
The Japanese bridge spanning one of the garden's mini-waterfalls.
The rockwork of the main waterfall; behind it, a functional earth dam.
For all of its drama, the constant water pressure in Stobo’s water gardens provide a peaceful, zen-like environment in which to reconvene with nature. Conceived in the early 20th century, when all things Japanese were in vogue, expect to be treated to bridges, tea houses and of course, Acers.
Open occasionally to the public as part of the SGS.
The Formal Garden, Kinross House, Kinross-shire
View from the house towards the ruins of Loch-Leven Castle from which Mary, Queen of Scots escaped.
With a path precisely aligned with Loch Leven Castle, the symmetrical formal gardens at Kinross House point directly to where Mary Queen of Scots languished as a prisoner for 1567-68 before making a daring escape.
Occupying about five acres, the gardens feature box quadrants enclosing beds now filled with contemporary planting.
Open by prior arrangement.
The Gertrude Jekyll Garden, Munstead Wood, Surrey
Taken in 2011, this view catches a glimpse of Jekyll’s home from the edge of the woodland garden created by Gertrude Jekyll.
Currently closed after it was purchased by the National Trust in 2023, the gardens Munstead Wood were not only the entire creation of Country Life’s very own early gardens expert, they were also where the great plantswoman lived — and in a house designed for her by her great friend Sir Edwin Lutyens.
One of the nursery gardens at Munstead Wood, showing Jekyll’s colour grouping style. This rare colour autochrome was taken in 1912 by her good friend Herbert Cowley, when Jekyll was in her prime.
Munstead Wood was where Jekyll experimented with colour-graded planting and where she kept her nursery of plants for her clients.
It is expected to be open to the public again in due course.
The Topiary Garden, Levens Hall, Cumbria
The Broad Walk, looking west, photographed in 1926.
Five miles south of Kendal, Levens Hall is home to purportedly the world’s oldest topiary gardens.
Conceived in 1701 by one M. Guillaume Beaumont, 'professor of the topiary art' to James II — now there’s a job title — the finely clipped yew and box hedges fell from fashion for over a century.
Chris Crowder, head gardener at Levens Hall keeping the ancient topiary in shape.
What can be seen today is mainly believed to be from a restoration in the early 19th century.
The Fantastical Beasts Garden, Mount Stewart, Co Down
The Dodo Terrace, a whimsical creation with a hidden meaning.
'You’ll find all manner of concrete creatures employed in useful professions'
Orangutan-topped herms representing Odysseus's sailors transforming into pigs.
Dotted around the gardens of Mount Stewart, sometimes peaking out at you from unexpected corners, you’ll find all manner of concrete creatures employed in useful professions. Orangutans proffer urns and Dodos forlornly flank a giant Ark.
The Ark and the animals commemorate the Ark Club, formed in London under the shadow of the First World War. Led by Lady Londonderry —who later took residence at Mount Stewart — the club met once a week to raise funds and devise help for the war effort.
The Autumn Colours Garden, Chatsworth, Derbyshire
'Chatsworth puts on a magical display year-round, but in autumn, the colours are spectacular'
Visiting this idyllic area of Derbyshire on a cool, misty autumnal morning you will be greeted with a magical vision of deer grazing within a fiery backdrop of orange, red and yellow leaves.
Considered one of England’s 'Treasure Houses', the generous, naturalistic-looking parkland was laid out by Capability Brown, but venture closer and look down for smaller, but no less breathtaking gems such as white wood asters nestling beneath the canopy.
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