Cliveden’s Long Garden reimagined with refresh

Originally designed in the 1930s by Norah Lindsay, the 200-metre garden’s transformation blends its heritage with a more contemporary, resilient solution.

While honouring Lindsay’s original design, the garden’s previous seasonal bedding plants have been replaced with a biodiverse mix of shrubs, perennials and grasses.

A no-dig approach was taken to reduce soil disruption, with each of the new species chosen for their longer seasonal interest and pollinator support.

The intent is to strengthen the garden’s planting as well as the overall structure against the challenges of a changing climate, while enhancing accessibility to the site.

Cliveden’s garden team worked with garden and landscape designer James Scott of The Garden Company on the new masterplan, he comments on the redesign, saying:

“Cliveden attracts thousands of visitors every year. What I really hope is that when people visit the redesigned Long Garden, they will find it a very immersive, tranquil experience. At the height of summer, there will be some large, dramatic herbaceous plants making people feel that they are ‘in’ the space rather than simply going through it.”

Head of gardens and parks at the National Trust, Sheila Das notes that “gardening is a future-focussed act which is often at its most resonate when inspired by what went before”, adding:

“The reimagination of the Long Garden at Cliveden really builds upon the idea that as we adapt our gardening approach to work with our available resources and the changing climate, we can find new beauty and share inspiration with everyone who comes to visit now and for many years to come.”

Site accessibility has also been improved through the widening of the central path, which has also been paved with durable Apperley Antique Yorkstone – as well as new automated gates which open at the beginning of the day and close at the end, designed with the garden’s classical heritage in mind.

For more information, visit: Cliveden | Buckinghamshire | National Trust