18 & 20. Double Walled Garden

Origins
In Paxton's day, this area was used as a kitchen garden to provide fresh fruit and vegetables for his family and servants. The two walls - one brick, one stone - provided shelter from animals and the harsher elements, and created important microclimates where tender plants could grow. This enabled Paxton's gardeners to extend the growing season and, in an era when the transport of fresh produce was very slow, allowed Paxton to impress his guests with a harvest of unseasonably early strawberries, or fresh peaches cropped long after the main season was over.

Within the walls were four primary paths, a central dipping pool to provide handy water for gardeners and a lean-to glasshouse described as a 'Peach House' in an 1824 sales document. The slip gardens between the brick and stone walls may have been used to grow a range of soft fruits and perhaps to hide unsightly objects like gardening tools and manure.

Today's Use
The Double Walled Garden is divided into four quadrants, each with their own distinctive pathway.

Quadrants 1-3 tell the story of the evolution of flowering plants, and is based on the latest DNA and microscopic research. From primitive water lilies at the centre of the garden to the latest cultivars by the outer walls, you can travel though 150 million years of botanic history.

In Quadrant 4 you'll find a modern kitchen garden, reflecting this area's original use. Crops grown here include unusual varieties, and you will often find them on your plate in our restaurant. In this corner you will also find the schoolchildren's allotment. Along the wall closest to Springwoods are the ruins of the early 19th century Peach House, which we hope to restore over the next few years.

There are regular guided walks and introductory talks around the Double Walled Garden, starting at the central Dipping Pool. Look out for details in the Gatehouse or ask a gardener.

In 2007 we opened the new Tropical House in Quadrant 1