Gardens

Leonardslee is located just on the edge of the High Weald of Sussex and benefits from the rich Weald soil combined with an idyllic sheltered valley.Sir Edmund Loder, one of the big Victorian plant collectors, appreciated this and after purchasing the estate from his parents-in-law in 1889, he started developing the gardens as they are today.

Five generations of Loder's have lived at Leonardslee and each generation has had the opportunity to make their mark. Sir Edmund Loder laid out vast collections of plants - predominantly Rhododendrons and Azaleas - as well as conifers and other collections. Sir Giles Loder, continued the tradition by planting award winning camellias.

More recently, Robin Loder has spent time developing the landscape of the gardens, restoring many of the older lakes, as well as developing some of the amazing views that you see today.

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Lakes

The valley is home to a set of old hammer ponds, which were used for driving a mill further downstream. These lakes create a peaceful sanctuary to a number of wildfowl. You can see our duck, geese and swans swimming on any one of our lakes. They also provide amazing reflections of colour during the flowering season and a tranquil setting for a summer stroll.

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Rock Garden

This is one of the most beautiful parts of the garden in spring and certainly not to be missed. It was laid out about 1900 by the firm of James Pulham & Son, who specialised in the construction of 'natural' rock gardens. By skilful use of large rocks and a special concrete-like material which he called Pulhamite, a very natural setting was created. Within the Rock Garden there is a kaleidoscope of colours and forms with superb examples of Rhododendron yakushimanum, Kurume azaleas, Rh. 'Amoenum', dwarf Norway spruce, Rh. augustinii, Azalea 'Hinomayo', Chinese lantern tree and a unique variety of the Chusan Pal, Trachycarpus fortunei var. surculosa.

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Temperate Greenhouse

Inside the greenhouse, notable plants include the banana, Musa basjoo, several Cordylines, Dicksonia antarctica, Polygala dalmaisiana, and Pittosporum tobira. Echium seedlings appear wherever the ground is disturbed; being biennial, they require a mild winter to survive and send up 12-ft (3.6 m) flower spikes their second season. In the pool Koi carp glide, safe from a greedy heron.

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Alpine House

Created in spring 1992 using natural Cretaceous sandstone from the estate, this house contains many varieties of alpine plants.

Among the showiest are the Lewisias with flowers in many different colours, which obligingly bloom several times a year. In the centre is a water feature and a pool with some koi carp.

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Autumn Colour

When we get to the end of the season the gardens are gradually transformed into a wonderful array of fantastic autumn colours. The maples around the gardens are set off against some incredible display of autumn foliage.

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Loderi Garden

In 1901 Sir Edmund Loder planted the first Loderi seedlings in the Loderi Garden. In 1907 the first Loderi produced its first flower. These original seedlings have now grown into trees, so the birds and squirrels get the best view. The varieties growing here are 'Pink Diamond', 'White Diamond', 'Sir Joseph Hooker', 'Pink Coral' and 'King George'. All are highly fragrant with enormous flowers. Also in this area are rhododendron species ranging in size from the small early-flowering yellow Rh. keiskii to the veritable trees of Rh. arboreum, both pink and white forms. An old specimen of Rh. 'Ivery's Scarlet' has assumed tree-like proportions.

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