“one of the most beautiful of this country’s landscape gardens”
with a gentle harmonious planting of broad-leaved trees, conifers and rhododendrons. The valley landscape began in the 1740s by Henry Hoare II who had returned from a three-year tour of Italy and was inspired by the Roman Campagna ( a low-lying area surrounding Rome in the Lazio region of central Italy) which also inspired many landscape painters of the time.
It is probably a garden best seen during the spring or autumn when the tree colours are at their best. But my visit was towards the end of July on a particularly warm, but overcast day. Located in Stourton, Wiltshire the garden is best approached by walking downhill from the car park, past the estate village with its inn, church and row of cottages and down to the lake.
There is a circular walk around the lake, taking in the woods, with glimpses between the trees of the garden buildings. The understorey is mostly a glossy evergreen with shrubs of cherry laurel and rhododendron, here and there a glimpse of wild flowers or hydrangeas and hostas.
Above on a hill is the Temple of Apollo and on the far bank of the lake, the portico and rotunda of the Pantheon. The buildings disappearing as you continue into the woodland and make your way around the lake.
The layout of the garden is not random, but alive with hidden symbolic meanings and it is no coincidence that Stourhead’s story was based on Aeneas’s journey to Carthage, following the fall of Troy. The first building you come to (if you walk anti-clockwise) is the Temple of Flora. Dedicated to the Roman goddess of flowers and spring, this temple was the first garden building erected by Henry Hoare II between 1744 and 1746. Over the doorway the Latin inscription reads:
‘Keep away, anyone profane, keep away’.
The visitor then descends on paths in an anti-clockwise route around the lake, recalling Aeneas’s descent into the underworld, finding Dido who turns away from him. Continuing his journey he enters the Grotto, where the river god shows him the way out and he completes his heroic quest by founding Rome, symbolised by the Pantheon.
The Pantheon: Inspired by the Pantheon in Rome, this structure was built in 1753-54. It’s the largest garden building at Stourhead. ‘Pantheon’ means a temple sacred to all the gods. The temple is filled with statues of classical deities, including a marble Hercules created by Rysbrack. Well worth a look inside.
Leaving the Pantheon behind you take in a different vista. Across the lake to the Palladian bridge a five-arched stone bridge built in 1762. Although ornamental, the bridge was intended to look practical. It was designed to create the illusion that a river flows through the village and under the bridge.
High on the hill is the Temple of Apollo, built in 1765, by the architect Henry Flitcroft, to outdo William Chamber’s earlier Temple of the Sun at Kew. It is dedicated to Apollo, the sun god. Nestled on a hilltop, the temple has delightful views over the lake.
People picnic on the lawns. Sit on the steps. Fish in the lake. Although busy the grounds are so vast it doesn’t feel crowded.
The panoramic vistas are wonderful, but for me the best part are the old stable yard and walled kitchen garden, which were being renovated on my visit several years ago. A Foster and Pearson glasshouse dating from 1902 stands in the lower walled garden and housed a collection of pelargoniums.
The success of Stourhead lies in its painterly views; the way you can’t see all of the garden buildings at once and the anticipation of glimpsing a view through the trees. Hoare noted that
‘the greens should be ranged together in large masses as the shades are in a painting.’
I’m afraid that I prefer a plantsman’s garden to this landscape garden, my joy comes from the colours and forms of flowers and Stourhead doesn’t really ‘do’ flowers. But nothing can take away the fact that this is a truly magnificent garden landscape.
Size: 93 acres (38 hectares)
- Street: Stourhead
- Postcode: BA12 6QD
- City: Stourton
- County: Wiltshire
- Country: United Kingdom
- Website: Stourhead Gardens website
If you like a walk, long or short, then please visit Jo for her regular strolls in the UK and the Algarve and maybe you would like to join in too. She’s very welcoming.
I do like Stourhead, but it’s a good few years since I was last there, and I could no longer walk round the lake anyway….
I preferred Painshill to be honest as a landscape garden, but I think this one must be beautiful in October.
Yes, it is. But I loved Painshill, and also Stowe
Not been to Stowe.
If you ever get the chance, do go!
On the ‘next visit to Surrey’ list 🙂
(At this rate I’ll need to be there for a fortnight).
Well, yes, because we need to meet up!
Yup. That is on the list 🙂
Yay!
It is a regular haunt of mine as my Mum only lives a couple of miles down the road – it is stunning in the Autumn as you envisage and also in Spring. I love though going in winter!
It must look fantastic in the snow or frost.
Glorious in latter, not been there for the former yet. I’ve got some great shots in freezing fog must do a post one of these days
Meant to say- some great images
What a beautiful post! How interesting to see how your history and culture is reflected in your beautiful gardens.
Ah, some of those aristocrats had big ideas after returning from the ‘Grand Tour’
I guess, like Manor villages. How great the feudal system was, except if we were the serfs. 🙂
Indeed.
One of my very favourites, but only in autumn.
I can see that it would look splendid in autumn, though my favourite autumn garden (so far) has to be Sheffield Park in West Sussex.
I did notice that you had a superb ‘circles in a square’ towards the end there, Jude. I was waiting for the link to Becky. 🙂 🙂 Thank you! It reminds me in many ways of Castle Howard. Too tired to wander far tonight. All this adventuring… 🙂 Wonder what it’d be like under snow? Rather romantic, I imagine. And cold. Lovely photos, hon.
Your pictures really do capture the grandeur of the landscape. Part of me has always hankered after the freedom to garden without flowers, with shades of green and texture, but maybe it does need this kind of scale to work. And I doubt it’s any easier!
I would still need a patch where I can have the flowers 🙂
This is one of those gardens that I have seen so many pictures of that I can no longer remember whether I have actually been or not! Did I visit during my year in Hampshire? I know it was much talked about but I can’t say for sure. If I didn’t I wish I had, and hope I do some day. Beautiful post, Jude (whether you really liked the garden or not).
We were in the neighbourhood after watching my youngest son receive a medal for his Afghanistan tour, so probably not the best time of year for a visit. Autumn must be nicer (or spring). And I am not the biggest fan of landscape gardens, other than they provide a nice place for a walk. But glad you liked the photos.
It’s incredibly amazing!!!
This place looks outright magical! I particularly love that arched bridge, but was sad to read it was just ornamental. Bridges are meant to be crossed! I want to stand on them and enjoy the view from them. It is all still gorgeous just the same!
I think you can walk over it, just that the ‘river’ is fake. Maybe I will try and re-visit in the autumn as I am sure it must look much better with the trees turning colour. I’m not really a landscape garden person.
It’s fake? I don’t understand – it looks like real water. Or is it a bridge over a lake?
The ‘river’ is just a narrow extension of the lake so it looks as though a river runs into the lake. So yes, the bridge really just goes over the lake. Phew! That was complicated!
… or I was being extraordinarily dense 🙂
I would never say that about you Jo 😉
🤪
Thank you for this tour of such a delightful place 🙂
You are most welcome 🙂