Things to do in the garden at The Vyne

swans and cygnets swim on the glassy surface of The Vyne's lake surrounded by leafy trees. — Recharge the batteries in the gardens at The Vyne. | © National Trust / Virginia Langer

There are nine hectares of garden surrounding the house at The Vyne. Two lakes, a walled garden, formal garden and meadow along with lawns and a herbaceous border sit neatly inside this area. There is plenty for you to explore through the seasons, from the 17th-century summerhouse to a 600-year-old oak tree.

Summer in the garden

Swaying wildflowers, traditionally cultivated hops and bright dahlias are just some of the horticultural highlights to look out for this season.

Wild flowers: over 50 varieties of wild flower, ranging from poppies and rose campion to larkspur and corn marigold, were specially chosen by the garden team for their vibrant colours, to help attract insects like bees, hoverflies, butterflies and moths in need of pollen.
Summerhouse garden: a palette of pinks and purples populate the central flowerbeds in the summer months, featuring Echinacea, Phlox and Clematis among others. Each bed forms a Grecian cross to reflect the floorplan of the 17th-century summerhouse.
Walled garden: flowers, fruit and vegetables grow in row upon row of neat rectangular beds. Look out for the newly planted bee pen which is full of bee-loving plants such as lavender, mint and oregano.
Dahlias: blooming from August, dahlias were an important part of horticultural life at The Vyne in the 19th century, when head gardener Mr Broomfield regularly won prizes for his blooms at local shows.
Orchard: mulberries and traditional apples can be found in the historic orchard.
Wild garden: marking the transition between garden and countryside, the wild garden is a haven for wildlife with its tall grasses.

A path winds its way through wild grasses, trees and foliage. — The wild garden at The Vyne | © National Trust / Karen Legg

The walled garden

Dating back to the 18th century, the walled garden houses a variety of fruit and vegetables as well as a dahlia border. An ambitious restoration programme restored the glasshouse and the fruit and vegetable beds to their former glory.

The summerhouse

Possibly the earliest domed garden building in England, the summerhouse dates from around 1635 and has been used as a banqueting house and a dovecote. Designed by John Webb and built in the shape of a Greek cross, it is one of two originally built.

Today, the remaining summerhouse is the focus of the formal garden with beds which reflect the shape of the structure itself. The bedding plants are chosen to complement the shades of the summerhouse during the seasons and the garden is enclosed by a yew hedge.

Herbaceous borders of the summerhouse garden at the Vyne, Hampshire — The summerhouse garden at the Vyne | © National Trust Images/John Miller

Hundred Guinea Oak

Frail but still standing, the Hundred Guinea Oak is now over 600 years old. William John Chute, who owned The Vyne in the late Georgian period, was offered £100 and later 100 guineas for the timber.

He flatly refused to sell the oak, which you can see for yourself at the top of the Lime Avenue.

Wild garden

Here, the informal layout gives the impression of a natural landscape that has emerged all by itself. Laden with seasonal colour, trees gently arc over the main path at intervals while the paths mown through the long grass bring you to the lakeside where you can spot waterfowl gliding across the lake.

Family activities in the garden

There are plenty of self-led trails around the estate for families to enjoy. Unfortunately ball games, frisbees, bikes, scooters and drones are not allowed on the estate. This is to prevent further damage to the house and grounds.

Summer open-air events at The Vyne

Coming up in 2024, browse open-air theatre and cinema screenings coming to The Vyne's gardens.

29 June | Outdoor theatre | The Importance of Being Earnest

On Saturday 29 June, Wilde’s comic masterpiece gets The Pantaloons treatment in their anarchic take on the classic comedy of manners.

More info

Cartoon of Dr Dolittle and his animal friends on a pale orange background. — 12 July | Outdoor theatre | The Adventures of Doctor Dolittle | The Vyne | © Illyria

12 July | Outdoor theatre | The Adventures of Doctor Dolittle

12 July, gates open 5.45pm. Performance 6.30-8.20pm. Illyria perform this much-loved family adventure; when Dr Dolittle learns how to talk to animals, he embarks on a thrilling quest to cure illness, spread kindness, and better understand animals.

More info

3 August | Outdoor cinema | The Greatest Showman sing-a-long (PG)

3 August, gates open 7.45pm, film starts 9.15pm ends 11pm. Get ready for some pure entertainment as you watch and singalong with The Greatest Showman on a huge open-air screen. The incredible movie musical that has sold cinemas out across the world.

More info