In late May, Levens Hall and Gardens’ head gardener, Chris Crowder, was interviewed by Jane Hunt, for the Poodling Around podcast. Jane homed in on the delights of our formal English garden in the summer months, in all of its Lake District glory.
The podcast focuses on perhaps some lesser-known features of our amazing garden, first established by the French gardener, Monsieur Guillaume Beaumont, in 1694 but under the care of Chris Crowder for the past 38 years.
Whilst best known for the topiary garden, the oldest topiary garden in the world, which does come into the conversation, the Levens Hall garden has so much more to offer. Jane explores the various parts of the garden, with Chris's help, focusing on the general delights that a visitor can enjoy, if they visit during the months of June, July and August. She also quizzes Chris about some specific plants and shrubs that might be seen and some more unusual features that you won't find anywhere else.
The podcast highlights why lovers of gardens and gardening, no matter where they live in the world, should make a beeline for our incredible historic garden, not just to tick a sighting of the world's oldest topiary garden off their bucket list but to do so much more besides.
It also discusses some particular attractions and events for summer 2024 and what to look forward to in the first week of September.
With Chris Crowder being the 11th head gardener at Levens Hall and gardens (eleven being not that many since 1694), Jane takes the listener through a little bit of work that she did last year, as part of her PR work for Levens Hall and Gardens, focusing on all 11 of the men who have shaped the garden during its long history, from 1694 to the current day. Jane explains what we know of these men and how they shaped the gardens that visitors can see and tour today.
Click on the link below to listen.
https://bit.ly/4aUuvit