THE head gardener responsible for caring for the world’s oldest topiary garden at an Elizabethan manor house is preparing to celebrate an international day dedicated to the horticultural practice.
Chris Crowder, head gardener at Levens Hall and Gardens, near Kendal, is going ‘all out’ to take the art of topiary to a worldwide audience for World Topiary Day on May 12, whilst preparing to give visitors to Levens Hall and Gardens a rare chance to focus on the house’s most famous garden feature.
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To celebrate the home’s own global celebration, Chris has been working extensively with the French branch of the European Box and Topiary Society (EBTS), featuring in videos and liaising with gardens across the world.
He has also recorded a podcast, highlighting why his topiary garden is so special – and not just as a Guinness World Record holder for being the oldest topiary garden in the world.
Chris is now preparing to deliver insights to visitors to Levens Hall and Gardens on May 12, by leading three different tours that differ from any others given at Levens, as they will focus purely on the topiary garden and tell the stories of the trees within it.
With over 100 topiary pieces, cut into geometric, abstract, and themed shapes that depict objects and characters, from the toppling wedding cake to Homer Simpson and Darth Vader, there are many stories to tell and some brilliant photos to capture.
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The tours – at 11am, 1pm and 3pm on May 12 – will allow visitors to hear things such as which topiary piece lost its tail, which Henry Moore abstract started life as something else and which is the trickiest piece to trim?
Richard Bagot, owner of Levens Hall and Gardens, spoke of his pride at getting 60 gardens across the world to take part in the day’s celebrations.
“We have literally inspired gardens around the world to come together in a shared celebration of topiary, with our garden at the centre of it all,” he said.
“Our celebration is just over a year old, so to have more than 60 formal gardens taking part is truly remarkable. We will have gardens from the USA to Madeira sharing the love of topiary on social media and staging events in their own space. We could not be prouder.”
For those who cannot get to Levens Hall and Gardens on World Topiary Day itself, the gardens will have some quiz activities on Sunday, May 15, when visitors can self-guide themselves around the gardens. They can also take part in an online quiz that has 50 questions, with each one relating to one of the global participants in this year’s event.
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