Secluded Garden

Located between the Main Gate and the Princess of Wales Conservatory, the Secluded Garden provides a quiet retreat for visitors.

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Secluded Garden

Secluded Garden

Did you know?

  • The panels in the secluded garden include extracts from The enkindled spring by D H Lawrence and Amoretti Sonnet 26 by Edmund Spenser.

History and design

The Secluded Garden was created in 1995 by garden designer Anthea Gibson, with the aim of using plants to stimulate sight, smell, touch and hearing. Among the plantings are panels with extracts of poems highlighting the senses.

Those entering from the entrance closest to the Main Gate pass through an avenue of rustling bamboo (Phyllostachys viridi-glaucescens) beside a trickling stream. The cottage-style beds beyond are planted with scented flowers, such as Rosa ‘Madame Isaac Periere’; fruits, including apples and pears; and visually stimulating species such as Cistus, with showy tissue-like pink flowers. At the heart of the garden is a circular seating area bounded by pleached lime trees, Tilia x euchlora with a spiralling slate water feature “7 Slate Towers” designed by Daniel Harvey at its centre.

Things to look out for

Just outside the bamboo-lined entrance to the Secluded Garden is a bed highlighting plants that have been named after the Gardens at Kew and Wakehurst Place. These include the spindle tree (Euonymus fortunei ‘Kewensis), stinking Benjamin (Trillium erectum ‘Kew Beauty') and lily-of-the-valley bush (Pieris formosa var. forrestii ‘Wakehurst’). The latter, whose young leaves are an intense red, was first found as a natural hybrid at Wakehurst Place.

Kids’ mission

Can you name two scented fruits mentioned by Edward Thomas in his poem All to sweetness turns?




4 comments on 'Secluded Garden'

says

12/04/2013 6:18:14 PM | Report abuse

Thank you very much and I look forward to seeing you all again soon


Kew feedback team says

03/04/2013 3:44:29 PM | Report abuse

Hi Ani. Thanks for your comment. The shrubs inside the Secluded glasshouse are ‘Amstel Queen' (Ficus binnendijkii). Regards, the Kew feedback team


Ani says

02/04/2013 8:01:07 PM | Report abuse

just inside the seluded garden green house on either side of the entrance doors are two square white containers containing the same species of tree. What are these please? Thank you


Kam Hong Leung says

17/02/2012 6:06:00 AM | Report abuse

Very interesting and helpful information. The photo of the "Secluded Garden Glassgouse" at the top of this web page is particularly useful for the first-time visitors (like myself) to find the place. Thanks for the good, hard work.


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