You are here: The Gardens  > Renishaw Hall Gardens      

Renishaw Hall Gardens

The Gardens are open until 26th September 2010 from Thursday to Sunday and Bank Holiday Mondays.

 

Renishaw's stunning gardens still bear the stamp of Sir George Sitwell, more than 100 years after he created them. Based on his many visits to (and great passion for) Italy, he came back to his house with its 19th century wilderness garden with ideas and the means for a complete transformation. Now you will find a beautiful 300-acre park and eight acres of the most important Italianate gardens in England.

 

 

 

Italianate Gardens and Woodlands

The Famous Italianate Garden is divided into rooms by immaculate yew hedges and embellished with a sumptuous collection of plants. The gardens have season long interest, from the Bluebell fortnight where the adjacent woods display Magnolias, Rhododendrons and a Laburnum Tunnel, through June when over a thousand roses open, into July and August when the colour themed herbaceous borders are at their best.

Renishaw's garden is not only classical. There is also a new Children's Adventure Garden with trails for all ages: an art and literature trail following the famous people who have been connected with the Hall and the family, a tree trail, and a trail for the little ones with silhouettes of characters from childrens stories. There are carvings in the trees, a story teller's chair hewn out of a massive tree trunk knocked down in the Great Storm and a living willow tunnel. Visitors should collect leaflets for the trails from the kiosk and on their way out check if they answered the questions correctly. Young and old can get lost for hours and have a magical time.

There are wonderful woodland walks which take you down to the lakes.

 

 

The Yuccary

In 1999 the orangery was restored and was chosen to house The National Collection of Yuccas. Here are most species of the Yucca genus that originate in the western United States, plants that thrive in a hot arid atmosphere.

 

 

Well behaved dogs on leads are welcome in the gardens.

 

The Vineyard

Renishaw's vineyard was planted in the upper pasture in 1972. Until 1986, it was certified as the most northerly in the world at 53 degrees 18 minutes North. In 2001 Renishaw Hall Wine achieves Regional Wine Status and in 2006 the Renishaw Hall Wine 2004, the still variety, wins a Bronze Medal at the Mercian Vineyards Association wine competition.

Of the many varieties planted in the 1970s only Seyval remains, it blends well and is often used as the base for sparkling wines. In 1997 a programme of replanting was started. New Seyval vines are being planted with Madeline Angevine, a sweeter but more demanding vine ripening late September to early October, and Phoenix, a promising new hybrid.

 

 

The Museum, Exhibition and Gallery Cafe

Make sure you finish with a visit to the museum which tells of the extraordinary Sitwell family and its history from the beginnings of Renishaw in the 1500s to the present day and visit thisw year's exhibition - The Collections of Sir Osbert Sitwell.  Many of the items are unseen including works by Picasso, Dylan Thomas, Rex Whistler and Wilfred Owen. Then there is the Gallerycafe where you can enjoy freshly prepared food and a bottle of wine from the vineyard.

The Hall

Renishaw Hall is still very much a family home and is full of the treasures of the Sitwell family collected over 400 years.  There is a tour of the Hall every Friday at 2.30pm in the season.  Booking is recommended to avoid disapointment by telephoning 01246 432310. 

 

Go to Renishaw Hall's opening times for more information on facilites and prices.