Spring gardens at Polesden Lacey

Polesden Lacey has everything you could expect of a National Trust estate. Nestled in the Surrey Downs there is an impressive house with royal connections, acres of woodland walks and of course a selection of formal gardens. So loved is Polesden Lacey that is it apparently one of the top ten most visited National Trust properties.

The National Trust was bequeathed Polesden Lacey in 1942 upon the death of its last owner Mrs Grenville. Known for her lavish parties and expensive tastes Margaret Grenville was the daughter of the multi-millionaire brewer William McEwan. In 1906 he bought Polesden Lacey for his only daughter but only two years later she found herself widowed and childless. With money, property and a freedom to do what she wanted Mrs Grenville moved in high circles. She was a friend of Queen Mary and invited the Duke and Duchess of York (the future King George VI and Queen Elizabeth) to stay at Polesden Lacey for part of their honeymoon in 1923.

During Mrs Grenville's time the former walled kitchen garden was turned into a rose garden. How many other gardeners wish their patch looked this neat and tidy in April? Come June this area will look amazing with all the different varieties of roses out in bloom.

For this year there is a new garden in progress. These borders have been planted up and are in front of a cottage which is available for holiday lets. Imagine waking up to see the beautiful sight of Polesden Lacey's garden each morning!

If there's one thing that the Victorians loved in a garden and that was ferns. This part of the gardens remain to this day. In the Rookery their lush green leaves carpet the floor in contrast to the barren soil in the Rose Garden.

Although the Rose Garden has taken the site of the former kitchen garden an estate this size still needs its own source of vegetables. Planting for the summer has already been planned out but some winter chard with brightly coloured stalks remain. Behind the kitchen garden are the resident chickens and two sets of bee hives.

With so many hedges to maintain you need to be able to sort out any repairs yourself. At the back of the Rose Garden there is a hedge nursery plus of course some emergency rose bushes. You wouldn't want one bad rose spoiling the whole planting scheme!

At this time of year the grounds around the house are filled with daffodils. In the ground and in planters you will see daffodils all over. In case some more are required there's plenty to chose from here.

On the subject of daffodils I'll leave you with this one. I've never seen this variety before but its frilly and extravagant corona sum up that was best about Mrs Grenville and her beautiful Polesden Lacey.