Easton Lodge Garden Visit

As described by Alison Moller in her recent Study Day talk, Easton Lodge garden is a quintessential example of Harold Peto’s landscaping style, created for Frances Evelyn ‘Daisy’ Maynard who inherited the estate at the age of three and went on to marry Lord Brooke, becoming the leading socialite of her generation. From 1902, Harold Peto fashioned his largest Japanese garden, a sunken Italian garden with a 100-ft, balustraded lily pond, French pergolas, formal lawns, a tree glade and a (now-restored) tree house. Sadly, the house and estate all suffered decline and damage during the war years but, since 1971, a process of gradual restoration has been under way to recapture the former glory of the gardens. There is a well-stocked walled kitchen garden, ten champion trees and a stumpery. The day will begin promptly at 11:00am and the entry will include refreshments and a guided tour, including the history of the garden and a visit to the archive room. Entry £8.50 for members and guests.

Getting there: the address is Easton Lodge, Little Easton, Dunmow CM6 2BD. There is a helpful map and directions (download from here) on reaching the garden from Junction 8 of the M11, along the A120.

Bookings: preferably by BACS transfer of £8:50 to Cambridgeshire County Garden Trust (sort code 20-29-68, account number 30347639) using your name as reference. Cheques, payable to Cambridgeshire Gardens Trust, may be sent to Jane Sills, The Willows, Ramsey Road, Ramsey Forty Foot PE26 2XN.