An arboretum celebrating the woodlands of the northern hemisphere.
Divided into five geographical regions surrounding a circular lawn, The Horse Paddock is at its most spectacular during late April and early May with an extraordinarily intense display of autumn colours. A mown path leads the visitor through five distinct woodland zones and is a highlight of our Main Gardens Walk.
Deciduous trees from each region form the dominant plantings in The Horse Paddock. These have been selected for their autumn colours, eventual size and shape. Conifers are also represented within each section, selections being made primarily on the basis of size and shape with a preponderance of upright forms. Plantings continue to be made with additions usually made each winter.
The Horse Paddock is dedicated to Theophrastus, father of the modern science of Botany. It was Theophrastus who first proposed a system of classification for plants based on their observable, physical characteristics rather than their supposed supernatural, magical or religious significance. For more on Theophrastus click here.
Deciduous trees from each region form the dominant plantings in The Horse Paddock. These have been selected for their autumn colours, eventual size and shape. Conifers are also represented within each section, selections being made primarily on the basis of size and shape with a preponderance of upright forms. Plantings continue to be made with additions usually made each winter.
The Horse Paddock is dedicated to Theophrastus, father of the modern science of Botany. It was Theophrastus who first proposed a system of classification for plants based on their observable, physical characteristics rather than their supposed supernatural, magical or religious significance. For more on Theophrastus click here.
The Oak at The Centre of The Lawn
In 1994 close friends Jenny Thompson and Peter Barley planted the oak that stands at the centre of The Horse Paddock. Today it provides a comfortable spot from which to view the surrounding woodlands.
Plantings in The Horse Paddock have been designed to be viewed from this central seat. From here each of the five geographical zones of the arboretum, though still far from maturity, can be seen clearly delineated; the conifers are seen in the foregound against a background of deciduous species which in autumn provide one of the great spectacles of these gardens. The oak, Quercus robur, although frequently referred to as the "English Oak", is in fact common to most of Europe and has long been a preferred building timber. |  |
