Skip to content

East Lambrook Manor Gardens

The quintessential English cottage garden created by C20 gardening legend Margery Fish. Plantsman's paradise with contemporary and old-fashioned plants grown in a relaxed and informal manner to create a remarkable garden of great beauty and charm. With noted collections of snowdrops, hellebores and geraniums and the excellent specialist Margery Fish Plant Nursery. Partial wheelchair access.

Owner Info

East Lambrook Manor Gardens
East Lambrook Manor Gardens
East Lambrook Manor Gardens
East Lambrook Manor Gardens
East Lambrook Manor Gardens
East Lambrook Manor Gardens
East Lambrook Manor Gardens
East Lambrook Manor Gardens
East Lambrook Manor Gardens
East Lambrook Manor Gardens
East Lambrook Manor Gardens
East Lambrook Manor Gardens
East Lambrook Manor Gardens
East Lambrook Manor Gardens
East Lambrook Manor Gardens
East Lambrook Manor Gardens
East Lambrook Manor Gardens
East Lambrook Manor Gardens
East Lambrook Manor Gardens
East Lambrook Manor Gardens

About East Lambrook Manor Gardens

The celebrated plantswoman and gardening writer Margery Fish created the garden between 1938 and her death in 1969 and it became famous through her many books including ‘We Made a Garden’, first published in 1956 and reprinted yet again in 2024. Undoubtedly influenced by the writings of William Robinson, Fish wanted to create a garden in keeping with the old medieval manor house and, with no prior gardening knowledge, turned a derelict farmyard and orchards into a cottage garden, the style which Fish championed. The garden has changed remarkably little over the years and it is still essentially her original creation. After she died the garden passed to her nephew before being sold in 1985. Since then successive private owners have nurtured and cared for it so that today it is regarded by many as a ‘national treasure’. The garden was given Grade I status by English Heritage in 1992 and it is renowned worldwide as the premier example of the English cottage garden style.

The garden extends to around an acre and a half, yet with its many winding paths and different areas such as the Terraces, Silver Garden, Lido, Ditch and Woodland Garden, all packed full of plants, it appears much bigger. Keen gardeners who visit often say they haven’t given themselves enough time to take in all the planting but find it inspirational and inevitably take away ideas for their own gardens.

The Festival of Snowdrops in February, featuring around 160 species and named cultivars, is always popular. In April the garden is bursting into life and as May advances the garden becomes sublime, remaining so until the end of July.

Also within the garden, the excellent Margery Fish Plant Nursery specialises in cottage garden plants and other interesting perennials with many, including hardy geraniums for which the garden is renowned, propagated from plants in the garden and grown in peat free compost. We also sell numerous named snowdrops in February and offer a range of our own seeds collected from plants in the garden. The Malthouse Gallery has occasional exhibitions of work by local artists.

Location details

East Lambrook Manor Gardens,
East Lambrook,
Somerset,
TA13 5HH

Directions to East Lambrook Manor Gardens
Follow brown tourist signs from A303 South Petherton r'about or B3165 Xrds with lights N of Martock. What3words app: motivations.minivans.earmarked.

East Lambrook Manor Gardens openings

You can just turn up and pay on the day.

Refreshments Tea, coffee & cake.
Admission Adult: £7.00
Child: Free
Opening times 10:00-17:00

You can just turn up and pay on the day.

Refreshments Tea, coffee & cake.
Admission Adult: £7.00
Child: Free
Opening times 10:00-17:00

You can just turn up and pay on the day.

Refreshments Tea, coffee & cake.
Admission Adult: £7.00
Child: Free
Opening times 10:00-17:00

Accessibility

  • Partial wheelchair access only.
  • Share this garden

Other Gardens of Potential Interest

Don’t miss out

Sign up to our weekly newsletter to hear more about the gardens opening for the National Garden Scheme, events and activities throughout the year

Sign up to our newsletter

FAQs

Yes, cashless payment is accepted.

Yes, coaches are accepted at East Lambrook Manor Gardens. Please get in touch with the owners for details.

Yes, dogs are welcome at East Lambrook Manor Gardens. Please keep the dogs on fixed short leads in the garden and keep in mind that you are responsible for controlling the dog’s behaviour. For any specific rules please ask the owners.

Yes, there are various plants offerred for sale at East Lambrook Manor Gardens, please enquire with the owners for more details.

Sorry, East Lambrook Manor Gardens does not yet accommodate wheelchair users.

East Lambrook Manor Gardens is not explicitly a wildlife garden, but you may still find various indigenous flora and fauna.