Mothecombe House and Gardens

About the garden

Owned by

Lily Mildmay-White

New for 2024: Mothecombe Gardens are situated above Mothecombe beach, at the mouth of the Erme estuary on the Flete Estate. Tucked under one side of a valley running down to the beach, it is several degrees warmer than the village of Holbeton, two miles inland, and is sheltered from the prevailing south-westerly salt-laden winds, allowing tender plants to flourish.
 
Overlooking the whole garden is Mothecombe House, a Queen Anne house with additions by Sir Edwin Lutyens. On the south front, there is a walled garden with Lutyens Terraces planted with wisteria, irises and agapanthus, and a lawn with herbaceous borders. A door leads to an orchard underplanted with daffodils, with a camellia walk to the woodland garden.
 
The camellias, magnolias and cherries are underplanted with masses of snowdrops and hellebores followed by primroses, Solomon’s seal and sheets of bluebells, foxgloves and campion as spring advances. As the camellias lose their blooms, the rhododendrons and ornamental acers take centre stage in the bluebell woods.
 
Returning along the bottom path, two giant gunneras flank a pool, and a brilliant willow and dogwood appear luminous in the low winter sunshine, followed by deciduous azaleas. The next blaze of colour is in the bog garden, with masses of cool green ferns and huge arum lilies, skunk cabbage, iris, primulas, astilbes and hostas.
 
A large Campbell’s magnolia flourishes beside the stream in front of Garden Cottage, while an ancient multi-stemmed Judas tree sprawls over snowdrops and hellebores and a thicket of fuchsias A second walled garden has been filled with rows of lavender and other pollinator-friendly plants, which has been managed with consideration for the needs of wildlife and bumblebees.

Please note: This is a partially accessible garden (most of the garden is accessible, but some parts are not easily accessible).