Wakehurst Place

Wakehurst Place is  a National Trust property located near Ardingly, West Sussex, in Southern England. It holds a late 16th century country house and a mainly 20th century garden, managed by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. For the National Trust's 2008–2009 fiscal year Wakehurst Place Garden was the Trust's most visited property with over 400,000 visitors.




The garden today covers some 500 acres and includes walled and water gardens, woodland and wetland conservation areas. It was largely created by Gerald Loder  (later Lord Wakehurst) who purchased the estate in 1903 and spent 33 years developing the gardens. He was succeeded by Sir Henry Price, under whose care the Loder plantings matured, Sir Henry left Wakefield Place to the nation in 1963 and the Royal Botanic Gardens took up a lease from the National Trust in 1965.

The Wellcome Trust Millennium Building houses an international seed bank opened in 2000.  The aim of the Millennium Seed Bank is to conserve seeds from 10% of the world's flora in the hope that this will save species from extinction.

Wakehurst Place is home to the largest growing Christmas tree, a giant Redwood. The tree stands 35 m tall and is lit with around 1,800 lights during the holidays.

 Much of Kenneth's Branagh's 2006 film "As You Like It" adapted from Shakespeare's play was filmed at Wakehurst Place. When I think of a perfect garden in a perfect setting Wakehurst Place is at the top of my list!

(Merci':Wikipedia, HappyHomemakerUK, Charlotte Weychan)