Leonardslee Gardens May 2023

I first visited Leonardslee Gardens in the 1970s when my interest in plants was that of the average teenager. Fast forward 50 years and that outing must have made some impression as I jumped at the chance of visiting Leonardslee as my first trip out with the EHS.

The Grade 1 listed gardens are set on a hillside, leading down to lakes originally dug for use in the production of iron ore during the English Civil War. The acid soil was perfect for growing rhododendrons and azaleas and, in 1801, the first garden was planted. The gardens were developed in the latter part of the 19th century and through the 20th century, for many years opening only in the Spring. They were closed for ten years, and were in danger of being lost completely until Penny Streeter OBE acquired the estate and it reopened in 2019 after significant restoration

Travelling by coach from Emsworth, we reached Leonardslee, outside Horsham, mid morning. The sky was blue, and we escaped the rain until near the end of the day. On our arrival, we were greeted by the sight of a truly striking sculpture by the South African sculptor Anton Smit. His work is displayed throughout the park and adds an extra dimension to the gardens.

After a quick reviving coffee in the Clock Tower cafe, we were off on a guided walk through the gardens. The vagaries of the weather this Spring meant that rhododendrons, azaleas, camellias and bluebells were all out simultaneously. We were told that this is quite unusual, but very fortunate for us.

First stop was the Rock Garden, the brilliant display of rhododendrons along paths leading to a small grotto. I was particularly intrigued by the rocks, moulded concrete with a sandstone finish and hollowed out to the required depth for planting! We went on past the lawn, more giant sculptures and the Italianate house with views across the South Downs, through the Loderi gardens. This oldest part of the garden was a blaze of colour, rhododendrons, azaleas amid giant conifers. It is named after Sir Edmund Loder who developed the gardens at Leonardslee in the late 19th century. He was a plant collector who also introduced wallabies to the park. We continued on past the wallaby enclosure, where we could see females with their joeys. We continued past the vineyard, heading ever deeper into the valley, past bluebell filled slopes towards the lakes, where we encountered some very curious ducks.

Happily at the bottom of the hill, a shuttle bus was an option to take us back to the top. Another obligatory stop for coffee and cake was followed by the Dolls House museum. This is the dolls house to end all dolls houses, it’s a whole estate rendered in 1:12 scale and built in 1998 by Helen Holland. The detail is exquisite, the stately home, attendant farmhouses and shops breath-taking. Here, I was especially impressed with the model pharmacy with its microscope laboratory glassware.

The shop has a superb collection of azaleas and rhododendrons, and I spied a fair number of these making their way home to Emsworth with us on the coach.

Many thanks to Camille for organising such a fabulous day out. Can we go again next year?

Maria Miller