Waddesdon Manor

About the garden

Owned by

Pippa Shirley

The impressive French Renaissance-style château of Waddesdon Manor boasts sweeping landscapes and manicured gardens. The gardens boast an iconic parterre, famed for its colourful seasonal bedding. The parterre’s spectacular bedding schemes are hand-planted and made up of about 32,000 plants. The carpet bedding design, changed annually in early June, is a particular highlight and links to the collection in the house.

Originally laid out in the 1870s and 1880s for Baron Ferdinand de Rothschild, the gardens were created in an astonishingly short time. Victorian focal points in the garden include an ornate Rococo-style aviary housing rare birds, Pulham rock and 3D bird bedding sculptures that are examples of the Rothschild’s pioneering gardening. A sweeping valley of daffodils delight in spring and the fragrant rose garden is in full bloom in June. Summer sees the tropical mound abundant with exotic plants, while trees are ablaze in the autumn and in the cooler months, a vibrant winter garden injects colour. The formal gardens open up to rolling parkland with hidden glades, magnificent woodland and picturesque views.    

Also to be enjoyed is one of the most important collections of 17th and 18th-century garden statuary in the country as well as contemporary pieces. Families can explore the gardens with seasonal trails; the woodland playground that winds through the trees; children’s activities and plenty of space to have an adventure. Learn more about the history of the gardens with free guided walks, or maps can be downloaded from the website. Visitors can also use the online trails to discover more about the trees and sculpture that punctuate the grounds.

There are cafés, restaurants, gift shops and the Coach House Gallery, with annual exhibitions.    

Please note: Dogs welcome on leads everywhere with the exception of the aviary and woodland playground.