Belmont Gardens

The layout of the grounds at Belmont largely date from the 1790s and form part of the Colonel Montresor's remodelling of the Park, although the planting has been altered and added to by different generations of the Harris Family over the past two centuries. The front lawns contain a selection of specimen trees including London Plane, Weeping Ash, Tulip Tree and a Handkerchief Tree. The Walled Garden to the rear of the stable yard is an intimate enclosed garden with long borders containing an abundance of annuals and perennials. At the far end of the garden is a rectangular pond and rock garden, planted for both spring and summer colours. The Belmont Kitchen Garden is built to a slightly unusual design; firstly, it is not symmetrical – most walled gardens are rectangular in shape and secondly, the southern wall is only half height. This gives the whole garden a sense of openness, allows it to benefit from the afternoon sun and provides a greater sense of connectivity with the surrounding park. In 2001, the garden was restored to a design by the renowned Lady Arabella Lennox-Boyd. The resulting design encompasses a part-productive, part ornamental theme and the garden is filled with trained fruit, flowers, vegetables, flowering trees, lawns and water. Although true to the design, it was the Belmont garden staff who, in under 18 months, turned her brief in to reality – introducing new gravel paths, box hedges, metal fruit arches, an ornamental pond, twelve hop arbours and a semi-circular pleached hedge of pyrus chanticleer – whilst also providing home for the original sun dial which is contemporary to the original house. Don't leave without a delicious cup of tea with a slice of homemade cake in our courtyard tea room. This is available at the weekend only during season. The tearoom is self-service Monday to Friday.