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Garden Name: Leeds Castle & Gardens
Last Modified: 05/04/2011
Garden ID: 0338

pic: 0338_Leeds.jpg

Owner: Becky Mould
Address:
Maidstone


Postcode: ME17 1PL
County: Kent

tel: 01622-765400
fax: 01622-735616
website: www.leeds-castle.com
email: enquiries {at} leeds-castle.co.uk

Features: 


English Heritage Grade:
II*

Opening Times:
Every day except 25th December and days of Open Air Concerts and Grand Firework Spectacular.
1st Apr - 30th Sept; 10am - 6pm, Last admission 4.30pm. Latest entry to the Castle is 30 mins after last admission time.
1st Oct '10 - 31st Mar '11; 10am - 5pm, Last admission 3pm 
Castle 10am - 4pm. Last admission 3.30pm

Best Times of Year to Visit: 
Spring
Early Summer
Late Summer
All year round.

To see: 
Woodland Gardens
Culpeper Garden
Lady Baillie Garden
Aviary, Vineyard, yew tree maze and grotto, Dog Collar Museum
500 acres of grounds.

National Collection: 
Monarda.

National Garden Scheme days: 
Comments: 

Parties / Coaches: Yes 
Comments: Special rates for groups of 15+.

Viewing by Appointment: Yes
Comments: Preferred. 

House Open for Viewing: Yes
Comments: as above.

Admission Prices:
Fully Inclusive; Adult £18.50; Concession £16; Child (4-16) £11
Bring your Key to the Castle ticket & entry is free!
Every ticket to Leeds Castle is valid for 12 months and includes entry to a range of varied and exciting events. Prices valid 1 April 2011 to 31 March 2012.

Parking: Yes
Lavatories: Yes
Disabled Access: Yes
Shop: Yes
Plants for Sale: No
Lunches: Yes
Teas: Yes
Refreshments: Yes
Picnics: Yes
Dogs allowed: No
Only on Lead: No
Events: Yes

Other Facilities:
Picnics in certain areas. Numerous events, please check own website


Designer: 
Description of Garden:
Visitors first come to the famous Duckery, which, together with the castle moat, is home to numerous wildfowl. The path then meanders alongside the River Len through the Wood Garden, at its best in Spring with daffodils and anemones, and presided over by the striking statue of a female figure. Numerous summer flowering shrubs and rhododendron and azalea come into bloom as the narcissi fade. There is a good view of the castle from the garden in front of the old summer pavilion.

The Culpeper Garden features traditional neat box hedges surrounding colourful perennials and roses, pinks, lupins and poppies. It also contains the National Collection of Monarda - bergamot. 

The Mediterranean - style Lady Baillie Garden includes terraces planted with palms, olives, pomegranate, mimosa, vines, hedychium and echiums, all more usually found in warmer climes. It also offers spectacular panoramic views across the castle's Great Water.

There is also an important vineyard producing more than 8,000 bottles of wine a year under the guidance of Owen Elias, wine-maer of Chapel Down vineyard. The award-winning wines are sold in the Castle's shops.


History: 
The Park was established in the Middle Ages, reflecting Leeds Castle's importance as a royal residence. There is documented evidence of a vineyard at the castle in a Register of Royal Expenses dated 1291-1293 for Edward I and Queen Eleanor of Castile. It was re-planted with German vines in 1980 and extended with a wider range of varieties, also from Germany, in 2000. In the 1730s Lord Fairfax sent ginseng and wild olives from Virginia to be grown in the Castle's hothouses. The Duckery was created in the 1960s for Olive, Lady Baillie by Russell Page who also transformed the castle's former cut-flower garden into a "cottage garden", now called the Culpeper Garden. Princess Alexandra opened The Lady Baillie Garden in 1999, on the site of a previous 18th century garden.

Local Inns: 
Ringlestone Inn, Harrietsham

Accomodation: 
Three historic properties within Leeds Castle estate as self-catering holiday cottages

Restaurants: 
Fairfax Restaurant in coiurtyard

Village/Town/Sightseeing: 
Maidstone 7 miles