Project

Sustainable redesign: how the Iris Garden at Nunnington Hall is being reimagined

Iris Garden garden design concept visual — Imagine spending time in the garden thanks to 3D visualisation techniques | © Kristina Clode

The Iris Garden is one of the few historical gardens remaining at Nunnington Hall. Thanks to a generous gift from the Estate of Mrs Gertrude Mary Looi, we now have the opportunity to breathe new life into this space with a fresh design that pays homage to the original vision, while still featuring a collection of irises.

The garden you see today descends from a design believed to have been laid out by Mrs Fife, the former owner of the hall, in the 1920s and restored to something of its former appearance by the National Trust in 1989.

This area is a much-loved feature of the garden, however as the years have passed the plants are no longer performing at their best, maintenance has become increasingly challenging, and the garden is looking tired.

In addition to creating a place for exploration and relaxation, the new design will make the garden more accessible, provide additional seating and offer greater interest throughout the seasons. Just like the wider Nunnington garden, this space will be environmentally sustainable and wildlife-friendly.

A new season for the Iris Garden

The Iris Garden project is being led by Project Gardener, Caroline Bosher, and Head Gardener, Nick Fraser. They will be working with the award-winning garden design team at Kristina Clode Garden Design to design a garden that is regenerative and a boost for biodiversity.

Kristina is a Registered Member of the Society of Garden Designers and has twice won their prestigious ‘Design for the Environment Award’.

Read more about the team and project progress in ‘Latest updates’ below.

Latest updates

July 2024

Archaeological exploration // The Great Iris Garden Dig

As part of the 2024 Festival of British Archaeology we excavated exploratory trenches within the existing Iris Garden. This activity also formed part of our planning application for the Iris Garden redesign works due to the depth of the proposed pond.

We didn’t uncover any significant ancient artifacts or surviving remains of earlier gardens, however we found interesting pieces of pottery, clay pipes, nails, and animal bones.

The findings of the excavations deepen our understanding of Nunnington Hall’s history, and for the first time we were able to explore archaeological riches lying just under the ground’s surface. We won’t be restoring a 17^th century formal garden, but the new knowledge we obtained will help us to ensure that what we do in the 21^st century won’t harm the fragile remains of ages past.

Special thanks to our regional archaeologist Mark Newman and local archaeology volunteers who provided vital knowledge, enthusiasm and expertise.

Archaeological exploration of Iris Garden at Nunnington Hall | © Caroline Bosher

Bringing the past into the future

By the time the National Trust took over Nunnington Hall, the Iris Garden had become overgrown and difficult to identify. In 1989 it was restored to something of its former appearance.

The stone paths were uncovered and re-laid, a central urn similar to the one seen in old photos was added, and the beds were planted with irises known to be popular during the original era – primarily dwarf and tall bearded.

Keeping up the maintenance of the iris garden has become more difficult in recent years and the stone paving is worn and uneven. Many of the hedges and trees have outgrown the garden, and the irises don’t perform as well as they used to.

Why redesign the Iris Garden?

The Iris Garden is a much-loved area of the garden however it now looks tired and has a neglected appearance even after periods of intense maintenance. The current irises offer a very short season of display, there is limited seating, and the paths are worn and uneven. The single path entrance and exit points results in visitors passing by, barely pausing for a look.

Thanks to the generous gift from the Estate of Mrs Gertrude Mary Looi, we now have an opportunity to address the situation and reimagine this space with a more modern and innovative design, whilst still retaining historical integrity and influences from previous owners and past designs.

The new design needs to delight visitors with an invitation to engage and explore, improve accessibility, offer more seating, and adapt to changing environmental and climate conditions. It needs to offer a beautiful garden full of horticultural interest for everyone to enjoy throughout the seasons.

What do we want to achieve?

A showcase of climate-positive gardening ideas

Nunnington Hall is one of the Trust’s flagship organic gardens, run in harmony with nature for over 22 years. We can now build on this with the use of innovative sustainable garden design practices. The new design will consider the impact of our choices with an aim to:

Reuse existing materials
Select plants that work with a changing climate and provide food and habitat for wildlife
Source UK-grown peat-free plants from suppliers who meet our plant biosecurity requirements (Plant Health certified)
Harvest rainwater to top up pond level during months of low rainfall
Ensure ongoing garden maintenance is pollution-free through use of electric machinery

A better experience for everyone

Two new entry points will be added to encourage visitors to explore the garden. Crumbling paths will be replaced with smooth surfaces, and more seating will be added so visitors can spend longer relaxing in this space. A bold selection of plants will provide interest all year round, with something new to see each visit.

A ‘garden gallery’

Nunnington Hall works with artists from around the UK to host a wide range of exhibitions. This concept will be extended into the Iris Garden with a series of sculpture plinths for future displays.

Mrs Fife and grandson Andrew in the Iris Garden in 1943 — Susan Fife and son Andrew in the Iris Garden | © National Trust

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