Gravetye Manor in Sussex is known as one of England’s most beautiful gardens. This is the former home of plantsman and gardening author William Robinson, where he experimented with innovative planting styles.
In his Iconic Gardens series, Mark Lane explore the gardens at Gravetye Manor in the October issue of The English Garden. Now a luxurious hotel, the gardens are cared for by head gardener Tom Coward, who continues to innovate, very much inspired by William Robinson’s ethos. Find out how you can recreate the Gravetye look in the October magazine, but also here are a few additional ideas from Mark.
How to recreate Gravetye-style planting at home
Try combining these dramatic plants, to create a grand, Gravetye Manor-style entrance.
- Honey spurge, Euphorbia mellifera as a dramatic statement piece
- Miscanthus ‘Red Chief’
- Salvia ‘Amistad’ for its dark purple flowers
- Salvia confertiflora with its fuzzy, coral-red flower spikes
- Vernonia arkansana ‘Mammuth’ – a beast of a plant that reaches 1.9m with clusters of fluffy purple pink flowers
- Clerodendrum bungei – double the height again, with heart-shaped leaves and clusters of scented pink flowers
- Rosa x odorata ‘Mutabilis’ – the china rose, to finish the scheme, with petals that change from warm orange-yellow to pink and then near red, flowering throughout summer and autumn.
For the Gravetye Manor look in a small space, Mark advises mixing these herbaceous perennials with bulbs for spring interest, for a tapestry of colour and texture that will last for months on end.
Perennials to plant:
- Lupinus ‘Noble Maiden’ with its stately white flower spikes
- Foeniculum vulgare for feathery foliage and umbels of yellow flowers
- Valeriana officinalis to give the scheme the slightly wild and informal look Robinson loved
- Persicaria amplexicaulis ‘Blackfield’, which has wiry flowers of crimson-red
- Sedum ‘Matrona’ – or Hylotelephium ‘Matrona’ as it’s now correctly called, planted towards the front
- Persicaria bistorta for its chubby flowers of pale pink
- Underplant the perennials with tulips ‘Atilla’ and ‘Negrita’
Gravetye Manor’s gardens are known for their wildflower meadows. Mark suggests this easy collection of six plants to recreate the look. The shades of yellow, white and pale blue will create a delightful effect.
Establish a Gravetye-inspired meadow with these plants:
- Succisa pratensis
- Tulipa sylvestris
- Narcissus pseudonarcissus
- Primula vulgaris
- Crocus chrysanthus
- Camassia quamash
Shrubs play a big part in the gardens at Gravetye Manor, and here are some of the best shrubs for ‘winter into spring’ interest that Mark recommends:
- Cornus mas with clusters of tiny, bright yellow flowers
- Corylopsis sinensis with drooping racemes of light yellow flowers
- Stachyurus praecox with stiffly dangling threads of bell-shaped pale yellow flowers
- Sarcococca hookeriana with clusters of small, fragrant, cream-white flowers
A great plant for popping up through low-growing groundcover is the wandering Chilean iris or Libertia peregrinans, with clumps of narrow sword-shaped green leaves tinted with orange. White flowers appear late spring, while the leaves give an orange glow in the autumn garden.
For something a little different for spring displays Lathryus vernus or spring vetchling with its purple-blue, pea-like flowers cannot be beaten. It appears in the spring like a new fledgling bird, and disappears by midsummer.
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