The Beth Chatto Gardens

rom an overgrown wasteland with poor gravel soil and boggy hollows, The Beth Chatto Gardens has been transformed into an inspirational informal garden. The world famous gravel garden of drought-loving plants gently descends into the dramatic water gardens where lush green growth creates a scene of harmony and tranquillity throughout the year. From late winter to early summer the woodland gardens are embroidered with gentle drifts of plants. We have a large plant nursery and modern Tea Room serving light lunches, homemade cakes and locally made award winning ice cream.  Before 1960 there was no house or garden on the site, which was part of a fruit farm owned by Beth Chatto’s husband Andrew Chatto. The farm road led through an orchard of 30 acres towards the wasteland that lay beyond it. A Few fine Oaks and hollies rose above a tangle of willow, blackthorn and bramble, while buried in the centre was a spring fed ditch. The surrounding land provided arid gravel, cool water retaining silt, the whole area was a waste because it had been considered too unfit for farming being too water logged or too dry and parched. Over the years several distinctly different types of Garden have evolved on the site using a very wide range if plants. Drought loving plants from dry areas around the temperate world including the Mediterranean create an almost luxurious effect on hot gravel soil where once native weeds curled up and died. A winding walk under ancient oaks provides one of the most restful vistas of the Garden, with woodland plants grouped to show that foliage is effective as flowers. The water Gardens grouped around four large ponds which have been formed by damming the ditch, show off a selection of water loving plants. Andrew Chatto’s life long interest was to study the natural environment of our garden plants. Benefiting from the results of his detailed studies, Beth Chatto has been responsible for the design and planting.