Virtual Garden Tour

This area of the garden is known as the Loggia.

It is a licensed wedding area, and it is frequently visited by guests. There are 2 key features in the Loggia. The first is the water feature, which was created by Simon Allison. This contemporary water feature is beneficial in that it provides a calming sight and sound to the gardens. The second feature is the borrowed vista, which makes for a wonderful view through to the other terraces of the garden,

Trees of note are-

Quercus robur approx. 252 years old

Cedrus atlantica f. glauca

Acer palmatum

Conus controversa variegata (Weeding cake tree)

Recycled shredded bark is used underneath the trees to protect roots from compaction, as root compaction can eventually suffocate trees

We are now in the Upper Terrace. It is a pause between the busier areas of the garden. This minimal canvas is used during warmer months to host yoga classes. The borders are currently being developed to include sensory stimulating plants. We have recently planted 2 Prunus amanogawa ‘Flagpole Cherries’ for Spring and Autumn colour.

Herbaceous perennials include herbs such as Marjoram, Verbena bonarensis & Mexican Flea bane (Erigeron) all very good for the pollinators.

Our Rose Garden has seen a recent transformation, in that the team have worked very hard to remove the old Buxus box plants that were affected by box blight and have replaced them with the plants that you currently see. We chose Euonymus japonicas ‘Green Spire’. It is a compact and glossy evergreen, which makes it a very suitable replacement for the traditional Buxus. It can be a little frost tender and may need some protection; we are lucky to have these stone walls helping us to protect them.

The roses planted are David Austin modern shrub roses, climbing roses include the Kiftsgate rose (Rosa filipes) trained across the summer house roofs.

The other change to the rose garden is the addition of the underplanting. We chose to underplant the roses with Salvia’s. There are several benefits to companion planting, it breaks up the monoculture in the garden, creates a more visually aesthetic appeal, minimizes the spread of the dreaded black spot and powdery mildew diseases.

The Salvia varieties that were chosen were chosen specifically to attach pollinators, such as bees and butterflies. The gardening team are always on the lookout for plants that attract and feed a wide range of biodiversity in the garden.

Hard pruning and training techniques are encouraged to promote greater flowering and cover.

The Knott Garden is a very formal area, and its design dates back the Tudor period and is a real example of control and order in the garden. Today it is a quiet area, which allows for contemplation, stillness and rest.

The water feature was created by Alison Amour-Wilson and is known as the Aquashpere. It is comprised of a water filled acrylic globe, in the middle of a water filled circular dish.

Topiary parterres are clipped in June when the weather is dry. We protect it from pests using biological control such as moth traps and fungus sprays and the Box is fed annually with organic fertilizer.

Rose climbers of note:

Rambling Rector

Rosa ‘Celine forester’

Rosa ‘Laevigata cooperi’

Rosa zephrine

The gardens at Whatley were developed in the Arts and Crafts style, which was a reaction against industrialisation and mass production. There was a desire to revive craftmanship and restore simplicity and honesty to how building and furnishings were created.

This fits well with the ethos of the hotel today, whereby we strive to use local suppliers and retain quality craftmanship.

By extension, all the plant support, including these teepees, are created from foraged material on the ground, by the garden team. We have planted sweet peas at the base and in the coming months, this will grow up the structure and provide colour and sent.

Cottage style of planting on the brighter aspects and ferns in the shady areas.

Entertaining outside and seeing the gardens as an extension of the house is an important element of the Arts and Crafts gardens design. The terrace is a good example of that and as we move around you will find lots of places to stop and rest, or take in the view.

William Morris “Have nothing in your garden that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful”

This is the Hot Garden. Our herbaceous borders are home to 5500 plants and this border is flanked by Crab apples growing over oak framed arches, which provide for a lovely spring blossom and great autumnal colour. The variety of crab apples is called Malus ‘Golden Hornet’

Bright colours also draw the eye and they are best used and are situated nearer the house if you want the garden to appear larger. The Hot Garden is reflective of fire and of the sun.

Plants of note include Kniphophia (also known as red hot pokers), they attract bees and butterflies. We also have Rudbekia’s, Reums and Ligulairas ( Ligulairas are usually best situated in a marginal setting, we find this to be a good indicator plant showing us when to water) Once again we strive to include pollinator friendly plants.

Hermerocallis, Bronze fennel, Monarda, Rudbeckia, Crocosmia, Alstroemerias, Silene

Plants in the cool border are comprised of blues, purples, and pastel colours. Some of the plants included in the planting schemes are Eremurus (Fox tail lilies, which grow to 6ft tall)

Hylotelephium is formally known as Sedum, Alliums and Camassia which all attract a wide variety of pollinators including European honeybees, bumblebees, mason bees, hoverflies, beetles and ladybirds.

In the center of the lawn is a water feature, planted with Water Lillies and Alocasia (Elephants ears). There is a wildlife ramp to assist the various insects and frogs into and out of the pond.

The Arbor (affectionately known to us as the Bus stop) and the formal lawns are used for wedding ceremonies.

We hope to create different atmospheres with colour, shape, texture and form.

In the rills on our Fountain terrace, we have fish and are planted with water lilies.

On the walls of the house, we have Trachelospermum jasminodes, also known as Star Jasmine. It produces white flowers, which are highly scented. There are also different varieties of Wisteria with their beautiful racemes of flowers.

You will also notice some climbing roses, Rosa ‘Bonica’ and Rosa ‘Zephirine Drouhin’ a cherry-pink Bourbon rose and famous for being completely thornless. It was developed by the French rose breeder, Bizot, in 1868.

These are our Grand Lawns; they are in keeping with the more formal areas of the Hotel. The lawns have a diverse amount of low growing herbs that we purposefully leave to flower to give pollinators something to feed upon. This is managed by gardeners by setting mower cutting heights slightly higher during the months of April & May.

In the beds surrounding the lawn we have the ever-popular pink Buddleja alternifolia, also known as Fountain butterfly bush. As with all Buddleja’s it is a haven for butterflies and insects. The Globe Artichokes provide architectural structure and the large purple flower heads bloom in August and September, provide pollen for bees. Unlike the edible Artichoke the stems of the Globe artichoke are known to be eaten in France.

There is a wide range of diverse plants in these borders, which provide colour and interest throughout the seasons, but importantly provide food and shelter for various wildlife that live in our gardens.

Dhalia on the borders are Café du Lait, Night Silence and Evanah.

We mulch flower beds annually to retain moisture and save water, suppress weeds and improve the soil.

We use Biochar when planting new plants in borders.

This is one of our favorite views in the garden. The view across the organic farm and tree line changes all the time. The most impressive time to see it, is in the Autumn. Our grass border to the right, is planted with low maintenance plants, that require little watering and to the left our butterfly garden, name because of the numerous Buddleias’, Nepeta and Hylotelephium (Sedums), which attract various pollinators, not just Butterflies.

There is a Walnut tree (Juglans regia) planted here, the roots of a Walnut exude a natural herbicide called Juglone, which can inhibit the growth of other trees and plants grown nearby.

Wildflower Meadows are one of the rarest habitats in the UK and we have lost 97% of our wildflower meadows since the 1930’s. This in turn means that an important food source for pollinators, including bees, has been lost. Pollinator numbers are dropping, and this means the animals who eat insects, such as birds, hedgehogs and bats will struggle to find food, pushing the ecosystem out of balance.

At Whatley, we have committed to managing our wildflower meadow in a holistic and ecologically friendly manner. To this end, we have sown native wildflower seeds. We also planted 3000 Snakehead Fritillary bulbs which are associated with wet flood plain meadows, to increase the number of this plant, as it is currently classified as Vulnerable on the Vascular Plant Red Data List.

Cow parsley– provide valuable habitats for a variety of plants and animals. It attracts orange tip butterflies, marmalade hoverflies and rare beetles.

Bee Hives

These bees have only just moved in and so far, they seem to be very happy. We built a hurdle fence around them, which not only keeps in the style of an Arts and Crafts garden, but it is also very sustainable, as we used foraged wood. For example, the green and red that you see here is the Cornus that was cut back from plantings around the garden.

Every year, as the hurdle slowly decreases in size, we will top it up with more foraged materials. We have also put in terracotta pots underneath, which act as a wildlife corridor, proving freedom of movement. It is good to put holes in fences to help Hedgehogs move around in their territories

Silver Birch can be used to improve soil quality. Its widely spread roots bring otherwise inaccessible nutrients into the tree, which are recycled on to the soil surface when the tree sheds its leaves.

Birch woods have a light, open canopy, providing the perfect conditions for grasses, mosses, wood anemones, bluebells, snowdrops, wood sorrel and violets to grow.

Silver birch provides food and habitat for more than 300 insect species – the leaves attracting aphids which provide food for ladybirds and other species further up the food chain. The leaves are also a food plant for the caterpillars.

The Sherston arm of the river Avon passes through Whatley Manor. Crack willows and field maples are growing along the banks and wetland vegetation include Water Mint, Water Starwort, Water Forget Me Knots, Purple Loosestrife and the scare Snakehead Fritillary.

When the river busts its banks, it floods the area and is regarded as a floodplain meadow. Throughout the spring and summer, it is awash with wildflowers and waving grasses, humming with insects and the birds that depend on them.

Insects include demoiselle, scare hawker dragonflies and butterflies and moths.

Birds include the Kingfisher, Swan and Woodpeckers.

Mammals include Otters, deer’s, badgers, moles and foxes.

Bird populations around the site are high and include species of conservation concern such as swallow, green woodpecker, stock dove and bullfinch.

Common birds- include Swans, Swallows, Buzzards, Red Kites, Gold finch, Kingfishers, Blue Tits, Song Thrush.

We encourage birds to nest by observing bird nesting season and by placing nest boxes around the site. We have used coppiced Cornus and Willow stems cut from the gardens to create our own bird nest boxes.

Areas of woodland contain native shrubs and herbs such as the Wayfaring tree and Hazel, Crocus, Daffodils, Bluebell, Ransoms and Soft Shield Ferns.

Chef forages the woodland for wild garlic and mushrooms.

Many invertebrates use deadwood log piles, and many species are dependent on trees species such as the Oak, Silver Birch and Field Maples which are growing here in the woodland.

Ancient woodland now makes up just 2.5% of UK land cover.

If a tree needs to be felled, then where possible we leave tree trunks standing (so-called monolithing) this provides valuable wildlife habitat for bats and birds like woodpeckers.

Birds include the tree creeper, woodpeckers, and dunnocks.

The Kitchen Garden uses No Dig techniques and is organic. We use companion planting and crop rotation to help to reduce the pests and diseases.

Produce for the garden goes into the Kitchen and is used in the menu’s.

The No Dig technique

Preserves soil structure: Tilling disrupts the soil structure, breaks down aggregates and destroys the natural layers within the soil. No-dig gardening maintains soil structure, which is crucial for water infiltration, root penetration, and nutrient recycling.

Reduces Soil Erosion: Tilling exposes soil to erosion by wind and water. No- dig gardening protects the topsoil by leaving it undisturbed, reducing erosion and preserving soil fertility.

Enhances Soil Fertility: Tilling can disturb the beneficial microorganisms and earthworms and soil fauna, which decomposes organic matter and release nutrients for plants.

Conserves Soil Moisture: Tilling can lead to increased water evaporation from the soil surface. No-dig gardening helps retain soil moisture by maintaining a layer of organic mulch, which acts as a protective barrier against evaporation.

Reduces Carbon Emissions: Traditional tillage releases carbon dioxide stored in the soil into the atmosphere. No-dig gardening sequesters carbon in the soil, contribution to carbon sequestration and mitigating climate change.

Save time and Energy: Tilling requires significant labor and energy input. No-dig gardening eliminates the need for tiling, saving time and reducing reliance on fossil fuels

This Winter we have extended our raised beds and will improved yields and productivity using our garden composts.

Fruit trees in this area include Apple, Pears Plums and Cherry, all very good for pollinators. It is hoped that as the trees mature the fruit will be harvested for drinks in the hotel.

Named fruit trees include- Apple ‘Katy’ & ‘Falstaff’ Pear ‘Comice’ & ‘Moonslow’ Plum ‘Victoria’ & ‘River’s Early’ and the Inga Cherry.

Where space is limited, we have planted espalier fruit trees along the Kitchen Garden walls with under plantings of herbs for foraging.

To encourage more biodiversity, we have annually sowed cornfield wildflowers in this area. Corn field annuals are becoming much rarer to see in the wild due to intensive agricultural practice and pesticide use. Luckily, we are a fortunate to be surround by organic farms using more sustainable methods of growing.

The Taxus topiary spirals add formal structure to the area, being evergreen they are useful during the winter for bird food, as they will eat the berries.

Pots of tender plants are placed here in large pots during the summer months to add a tropical feel for Spa guest lounging and relaxing on the terrace.

Our Victorian Alitex Glasshouses offer an opportunity to witness some rare and unique flora we have in our collection at Whatley. Our glasshouse gets a lot of use throughout the seasons; our horticulturists not only grow a wide collection of plants from around the world, but also cultivate fruit and vegetables including tomatoes, cucumbers and courgettes.

This is also where most plants are propagated. Plant propagation is far more sustainable when it is done in house and with our highly skilled team, we do our utmost to maintain the garden and collection as self-sufficiently as possible.

Matt Willey, mural artist (thegoodofthehive.com) is on a mission to paint 50,000 bees around the world. Matt painted our bee mural in August 2024 over a period of four weeks, welcoming local community groups to paint the flowers. You will see types of pollinators, flowers and bees that is in need of regeneration, as well as those that were thriving in the gardens at Whatley Manor.

The Stable Courtyard has a neatly mown lawn proudly displaying three bronze donkey sculpture by renowned European sculptor Mr Edouard-Marcel Sandoz- the owner’s great-grandfather.