As part of a major rejuvenation of the Maze, the yew hedges were reduced in height in early 2025. This was to let light into the centre of each plant. Only the outer and inner hedges were kept at their original height, providing a sheltering microclimate. In early 2026 it was felt that sufficient regrowth had taken place to allow both sides of the reduced hedges to be cut back to the trunk. About two thirds of the hedges were cut back on each side. Regrowth in September 2026 Eight months on...

The lawns at Bridge End Garden are as crisp and dry as anywhere else in England at the moment. The lawn is such a quintessential element in any English garden and to see it looking so forlorn is a sad sight indeed. By coincidence the Friends' Archivists, Richard Woods and Anne Hughes were filing newsletters from the period of the restoration. The project manager, John Bosworth, produced a regular newsletter to keep everyone informed about progress. As you can see below, the lawn was in...

It is that time of year when the roses are starting to come out in the Rose Garden. The display usually lasts about three weeks so do make sure you come and enjoy the scent and the blossoms. Francis Gibson (1805-1858) was the main creator of Bridge End Garden, but it was his father Atkinson Francis Gibson (1763-1829), who started the initial work and particularly the Rose Garden: this fits with the historic development of English rose gardens. Roses were grown in ancient Chinese gardens and...