The Italian Garden

Our carefully restored formal Italian Garden.

Formal plantings, grand water features, a temple and dovecote help make the peaceful walled Italian Garden a very special place within the arboretum. Outside the walls, the trees of the arboretum rise majestically skyward. Inside, there is time to sit, relax and contemplate. Near to the Italian Garden is a picnic area.

The Fountain

A wonderful new fountain forms the centrepiece of the Italian Garden designed and manufactured in Italy and purchased with a donation. The spectacular centre jet reaches a height of 18 feet and is surrounded by smaller jets. The centre jet is operational four times a day, and the smaller jets run all day. Don’t worry if you miss the centre jet though – there is a slot machine that for 50p will operate the centre jet on demand for three minutes. The Italian Garden attracts hundreds of visitors each year, especially wedding couples looking for the perfect back drop. If you would like to be married in the beauty of the Italian Garden, you can find more information here.

The Lime Trees

The Lime trees you see lining the walls of the Italian Garden are Silver Limes and have been pruned back using the pleaching method which resembles a hedge on sticks. Two of the trees you can see have mistletoe growing on them, which is a semi-parasitic plant.

The History of Italian Gardens

The Italian Renaissance garden was a new style of garden which emerged in the late 15th century at villas in Rome and Florence. They were inspired by classical ideals of order and beauty, and intended for the pleasure of the view of the garden and the landscape beyond, for contemplation, and for the enjoyment of the sights, sounds and smells of the garden itself.