3 January 2024
Five years of Wakehurst’s Winter Garden
Discover how this landscape has evolved over half a decade.
At the heart of Wakehurst’s diverse landscape lies the Winter Garden, a sensory haven that's home to an intricate design of pattern, colour and texture.
This January marks five years since this corner of the gardens was opened. Look back with us on how it has changed, and plan ahead to make the most of a visit to the Winter Garden this season.
From planning to planting
The blank canvas for our horticultural team was a simple garden with one solid path and island beds surrounded by grass, which became muddy in winter.
The team knew that access needed to be improved, with new paths that would allow visitors to fully immerse themselves in the design.
Garden Manager and designer of the Winter Garden, Francis Annette, was inspired by diverse landscapes, ranging from Himalayan rhododendron glades to the slightly closer Ashdown Forest.
Francis shared, 'We felt the garden needed reinvigorating, I took inspiration from how different landscapes looked in nature and noticed a recurring theme of a distinct block of one plant followed by a block of another, and so on. I wanted to capture this while making sure the garden created a sensory overload of colour, scent and textural contrasts.'
With the design ready to be brought to life, 33,000 plants were introduced to the eight defined beds.
To complete the composition, enforced pathways were woven in, and carved seating was created in the heart of the Winter Garden.
Ready to start welcoming visitors, the area was opened in January 2019.
Five senses for five years
Complete immersion in winter beauty drove the design of the Winter Garden, transforming it into a place to lose yourself amongst the shimmering bark, soft foliage and rich scents.
A true sensory haven in the heart of the gardens, there’s something to appeal to every sense.
Sight
When stepping into the Winter Garden, spot our family of 10ft high Himalayan silver birch (Betula utilis var jacquemontii) interspersed with the coppery gleam of Tibetan cherry (Prunus serrula tibetica).
A burst of texture and colour comes from dogwood (Cornus), soft, feather-like ‘Karl Foerster’ grass (Calamagrostis), bronze bergenia and the bold evergreens of Japanese sedge (Carex morrowii).
Look down to the ground and keep an eye out for pops of colour provided by cyclamen, snowdrops (Galanthus woronowii) and crocuses.
Smell
When roaming through the Winter Garden, you’ll be greeted by the sweet fragrances of daphne and witch hazel (Hammelis).
Planted close to path edges, these rich scents aid in brightening even the dreariest days.
Sound
Away from the hustle and bustle of the restaurant and Visitor Centre, the Winter Garden is the perfect place to stop and find a moment of peace.
Listen out for the sounds of the wind rustling through swathes of grasses such as evergreen sedges (Carex), and the clacking stems of ‘Karl Foerster’ (Calamagrostis) grass.
Together accompanied by the sounds of Wakehurst’s wildlife, from delicate songbirds to our resident pheasants announcing their presence.
Touch
Rest on the contemporary carved seat and feel cocooned as you look up at the winter sky, whilst the breeze wraps around you.
Discover the many textures of the Winter Garden, such as the fluffy grass heads of ‘Little Bunny’ Fountain grass (Pennisetum), as you explore with hardy, accessible paths underfoot.
Taste
To fuel your adventures, a warming hot drink or pastry is the perfect accompaniment to a brisk wintery walk.
After exploring the Winter Garden, reward your adventures with a filling meal, from one of our onsite eateries.
Throughout the seasons
Undoubtedly the star of the winter season, the Winter Garden evolves throughout the rest of the year.
On the ground level, a selection of snowdrops, particularly Galanthus woronowii, herald the first signs of spring.
As pastels begin to paint the landscape, spring colour in the Winter Garden is provided by the flowers of bergenia and rhododendron.
In summer, the area transforms with the yellow flowers of phlomis, which provide sculptural seed heads in winter, with the Winter Garden becoming a cooling and refreshing space in the warmer months.
Heading into autumn, grasses are in flower and colourful autumn foliage cascades from the birch, witch hazel and vibrant dogwoods.
Get the look
Inspired by our Winter Garden? Shop our specially curated collection in the Plant Centre, and follow Garden Manager Francis’ top tips for bringing Winter Garden magic into your home.
Grasses are particularly useful for providing attractive groundcover so you don’t have to worry about mulching or weeding.
Create interest using different heights, combining trees such as birch with the tall ‘Karl Foerster’ grass, which stands upright throughout winter.
For winter drama stick to a limited palette of plants and grow them en masse in blocks and drifts rather than dotting them about.
Be bold with colour – the soft winter light makes it easier to combine colours such as red and pink.
For the best colour, cut dogwood stems back to the ground in late March and trim heathers in May.
Displays of bulbs can dwindle over time so plant new bulbs each autumn to maintain the impact.
- Think about the use of colour and how you use plants to contrast and complement each other.
- In a container, I like to think of the phrase: the thrill, fill and spill. Plant something of interest in the middle, perhaps something evergreen like a Christmas box, then fill around it with a bergenia, for instance, and add in some ivy which will trail over the side of the pot.
Continually evolving
This winter, the Winter Garden will be left to shine in peak season, and in spring our Horticultural team will begin work on the next phase.
Our experts will be lifting and dividing the Phlomis and Carex grass, to create a refreshed palette for next winter.
