Wollerton Old Hall Garden

Located in North Shropshire and covering 3 acres, the 14 garden rooms are richly planted with perennials and bursting with design ideas. The Hall has been in existence from around 1540. The gardens in their present form were started in the early 1980’s, Created by the present owners Mr and Mrs Jenkins, the garden is renowned for its salvias, clematis and roses. The plants grow in controlled exuberance, demonstrating an exceptional use of colour, form and scale. The inspired creation of three north-south and three east-west vistas affords the visitor picturesque views throughout, drawing them ever forward with tantalising glimpses of what is yet to come. The resulting linearity of these vistas together with the hedges, walls and paths resulted in a collection of separate gardens, with each one having its own style and ethos.

The carefully managed successional planting in these 14 gardens, ensures that each season has its appeal to visitors. The early months of the year are awash with drifts of anemones, erythroniums, snowdrops, trilliums and hellebores and dotted with bursts of colour from scilla, corydalis, muscari and tulips. The summer months are filled with the scent of David Austin roses, spires of Delphiniums, Dahlias and fragrant Phlox. Mid-summer sees the vibrant Lanhydrock garden explode with hot reds, oranges and bright yellows. It’s packed with delights including Heliopsis, Ligularia and Salvias. As the season draws to a close, the garden is still at its best and still burning with intensity. Late flowering Asters and Dahlias provide a final splash of colour, dotted with mature grasses that act as a backdrop to the magnificent show of late season colour. There are many elements that inspire both new and experienced gardeners which is reflected in the interest in the plant sales nursery where visitors can purchase plants that they see growing in the garden.

As with the history of the buildings at Wollerton Old Hall, the garden never sits still. Most recently the Well Garden has undergone a complete redesign. Incorporating the clever use of contemporary planting whilst still maintaining the ethos of the ‘English garden look’ which appeals to so many of our visitors. This new space has a calm and tranquil feel, a complete contrast to the vibrancy of the adjoining gardens.

We have been privileged to have been included in ‘Monty Don’s British Gardens’ and feel very humble that Monty Don has expressed the opinion that it is one of his favourite gardens in the world. This is testament to the years of hard work, the passion and dedication in creating a garden that is a “ ..combination of drama and intimacy, with a sense of really personal involvement..” (Monty Don 2025). The garden is much loved by regular and new visitors, it is a garden that inspires amateur and professional horticulturists but most importantly, it is a garden where people can come to sit, to breathe in its magic and feel a sense of peace .