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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. |