Serge Hill

About Serge Hill

Serge Hill is a romantic garden with lovely views over its own parkland and a walled garden bursting with produce and perennials. Since 2007, when she took over the garden from her parents, Kate Stuart-Smith has tried to make it both productive and beautiful. She stopped the use of herbicides and insecticides – which has led to an explosion of self-seeders. All the paths are gravel, which makes the whole place a perfect growing environment – but please note, sadly very difficult for wheelchairs.

Kate and gardener Richard Spicer, propagate many of the plants we raise in the lovely large old Foster and Pearson greenhouse – where we also grow pelargoniums and bountiful harvests of tomatoes, chillies, peppers. Outside there are beds of asparagus, onions, beans, beetroot, potatoes, herbs, artichokes, blackcurrants, leeks, brassicas of all sorts, lettuce, mustard, rocket chard, spinach, and kale, all contained within lavender and nepeta hedges. As you make your ways towards the bottom of the walled garden, you find apples, abutilon, hoheria, raspberries and quince surrounded by airy perennial planting, with interjections of fastigiate yew and clipped box.

When you emerge from the wrought iron gate at the bottom of the walled garden, you find a meadow sown with yellow rattle in 2021 and a huge Wellingtonia we think was planted in 1854. There is a long border full of shrubs, climbers and perennials which is at its best in late May and early June.

We have used the outside stage at the front of the house, designed by Tom Stuart-Smith, for many family plays and performances.

Armando Iannucci shot a part of his wonderful film of David Copperfield at Serge Hill in 2018 and more recently it starred in ‘Silent Night’ with Keira Knightley.

We hope you will enjoy the views, the sensational teas on the lawn, the lines of delicious vegetables all grown for home consumption, the surging perennials, tumbling climbers, unusual shrubs and trees, and help us raise lots of money for the National Garden Scheme.
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Walled Garden, lovely views, great plant sales, outside theatre.