The garden at Chartwell

Winter in the garden at Chartwell

As we head into the dormancy of winter, now is the time to appreciate the structural elements of the garden. At Chartwell, this consists of the terraces, the walls, the tightly clipped yew (Taxus baccata) hedges and clean edges of our borders. These are the unsung heroes of a garden that often get forgotten in amongst the luscious growth and colour of the herbaceous plants during spring and summer. These structural elements are the backbone of the garden that give it its unique character. 

Across the garden, there are a number of plants to keep an eye out for as we head through winter and longingly towards spring.  The aptly named ‘Christmas box’ (Sarcococca confusa) produces small, delicate, white flowers that can be smelled long before they’re seen. As lovers of shade and moderately dry conditions, this plant thrives in the borders near Chartwell’s most significant tree, the Japanese cedar (Cryptomeria japonica). Another reliable performer throughout winter is the winter jasmine (Jasminum nudiflorum). This tough climber is a great way of adding a warming splash of yellow to the garden at a time when floral offerings can be few and far between.

The colour of our trees should not be forgotten. The paperbark maple (Acer grisium) at the top of the Kitchen Garden steps provides a warming splash of colour, especially towards the end of the day as the sun sets across the Weald of Kent. As its common name suggests, the delicate, peeling bark has an almost cinnamon hue that shows that it's not just flowers that can bring colour to a garden. But if it’s flowers that you like, keep an eye out for Daphne bholua ‘Jacqueline Postill’ with its intoxicating scent, and many varieties of camellia such as Camellia 'Cornish Snow' (C. cuspidata × C. saluenensis) offering floral abundance throughout.

Hellebores are the first of our herbaceous plants that come into flower at the beginning of each year and can be found dotted around the garden. Commonly known as the ‘Christmas Rose’, the best display of these semi-evergreen perennials is throughout the borders flanking the path that leads from the visitor centre into the garden. Helleborus × hybridus ‘Pink Lady’ offers us bursts of delicate pink throughout these borders.

Water features

As you enter Chartwell, heading up from the northern end of the estate along the paved pathways, the views soon open up to the wide lawns and lakes.

Swimming pool

The first feature you’ll see is the swimming pool, once a favourite of the Churchill family and now a favourite of the resident black swans and visiting geese. One of the most captivating areas here is the Gavin Jones Cascade which trickles steadily down into the swimming pool. Please be aware that is not suitable for swimming as it is now managed for the wildlife.

The Gavin Jones Cascade

The Gavin Jones Cascade and surrounding garden is made up of several different areas, each with its own unique character and fascinating history. Originally displayed as part of the 1948 Chelsea Flower Show where Clementine Churchill first saw it, she liked it so much that the designer Gavin Jones gave it to her as a gift. 

Golden Orfe Pond

Just before you reach Lady Churchill’s Rose Garden, you’ll come to a series of ponds. There are three interlinked ponds here that form the upper part of the Gavin Jones Cascade. The lower of the three ponds is called the Golden Orfe Pond and is filled with descendants of the exotic fish that Churchill bought from Harrods after seeing them in the 1930s. 

Lady Churchill's Rose Garden 

Sitting behind the wall near the Golden Orfe Pond, you’ll find the Rose Garden, designed by Clementine herself. The Garden Team have planted this area with Hybrid Tea roses of the style that was used by Lady Churchill. Varieties to look out for include Rosa ‘Ice Cream’, Rosa ‘Lovely Lady’ and Rosa ‘Savoy Hotel’.   

The centrepiece of the garden is formed by four standard wisteria trees that bloom purple in the spring. Although these are the common Wisteria sinensis variety, what makes them special is they’ve been planted upright as a ‘standard’ rather than more recognisable and traditional wall-trained displays.

Enjoy this sun trap surrounded by intense colours and fragrances in what is perhaps the most quintessentially English feature of the garden at Chartwell. 

Terrace lawn 

With panoramic vistas over the Chartwell estate and Weald of Kent, the terrace is the perfect place to enjoy the view, no matter the season.

At the north end of the terrace lawn, is the distinctive Marlborough Pavilion, named for the man who inspired its decoration and Churchill’s ancestor, John Churchill, the first Duke of Marlborough.