Beth Chatto Gardens

The Beth Chatto Gardens, now known as Beth Chatto's Plants & Gardens, are an informal collection of historically significant gardens, with National Heritage[1] Grade II listing. The ecological gardens were created by plantswoman Beth Chatto in 1960 from the gravel soil and bogs of the disused fruit farm belonging to her husband, botanist Andrew Chatto. They are a series of gardens[2] that display examples of sustainable planting based on Beth Chatto's ethos of 'right plant, right place'.[3] The gardens are located at White Barn House in the village of Elmstead Market, 6 miles (9.7 km) east of Colchester in Essex, England.

The Water Garden

Plant nursery
Fothergilla gardenii - flowers and foliage

The plant nursery on the Chatto land is run by Beth Chatto's propagation team and produces around 100,000 plants each year, most propagated from plants Chatto collected, and grown on site in peat-free compost.[4] Plants are sent out all over the UK.[5]

Open to the public
Fothergilla gardenii - flowers and foliage

Beth Chatto's Plants & Gardens is a family business, run by Beth Chatto's granddaughter Julia Boulton.The online nursery is open all year around. The gardens and are open to the public seasonally. They cover around 7 acres (2.8 ha) and include a visitor information centre, tearoom, giftshop and plant nursery. Chatto lived in the white house that remains overlooking the Water Garden. She was often seen about the gardens and up until her death in May 2018 at the age of 94.[6][7][8] The gardens are managed by director David Ward and head gardener Asa Gregers-Warg.

References
  1. "Historic England unveils host of Grade I and II listed parks and gardens". The Express.
  2. "Five wild and enchanting gardens to experience in England and Wales". National Geographic. Archived from the original on 15 August 2020.
  3. "Beth Chatto A Life with Plants". Garden Museum.
  4. "The best nurseries and suppliers for eco-friendly gardenware, from taupe pots to peat-free compost". The Telegraph.
  5. "The online garden centres and nurseries to support during lockdown". The Independent.
  6. "Pioneering gardener Beth Chatto OBE dies, aged 94". The BBC.
  7. "Beth Chatto dead: Garden designer and writer who won 10 golds in a row at the Chelsea Flower Show". The Independent.
  8. "Beth Chatto obituary". The Guardian.

Sources
  • Buchan, Ursula. Gravel allure. The Spectator, 18 November 2000 (retrieved 14 May 2008)
  • Clayton, Phil, and Hepworth, Neil. "Beth Chatto Gardens" in The Garden. RHS, September 2015, pp. 46–52
  • Stocken, Nicola. "By way of an introduction" in The Garden. RHS, September 2015, pp. 54–55

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