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Cliveden's Long Garden Blooms with Eco-Friendly Makeover
8 Oct
Summary
- Cliveden's Long Garden redesigned with sustainability and wildlife in mind
- New design uses diverse shrubs, perennials, and grasses instead of high-maintenance bedding plants
- Revamp retains original Norah Lindsay features like 100-year-old topiary
In 2023, the National Trust's Cliveden estate in Buckinghamshire embarked on an eco-friendly revamp of its iconic Long Garden. The twin borders, stretching 200 meters, were originally designed in the 1930s by renowned landscape architect Norah Lindsay, but over the past century had become dominated by high-maintenance bedding plants.
The National Trust's Head Gardener, Anthony Mason, worked with award-winning designer James Scott to create a new, sustainable planting scheme that would support biodiversity and wildlife. The redesign features a diverse mix of shrubs, perennials, and grasses, including pollinator-friendly plants like Rudbeckia and Verbena. Importantly, the team has retained elements of Lindsay's original design, such as the striking 100-year-old topiary peacocks and other sculptural features.
To improve accessibility, the team has replaced artificial grass with a wide York-stone path, and installed automatic gates to keep out grazing animals. The new planting has already proven successful, attracting a surge of bees, butterflies, and even waxwings during the exceptional summer of 2025. By allowing plants to die back naturally, the garden provides vital shelter and food for insects and birds throughout the year.
Cliveden's Long Garden now showcases a harmonious blend of the historic and the modern, celebrating the estate's rich heritage while embracing a more sustainable, wildlife-friendly approach to gardening.
