Burghley

Visiting Burghley - The Grounds - Gardens of Surprise

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Visiting Burghley

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One of the three fountains
One of the three fountains
Will Andrewes with Lady Victoria in the Garden
Will Andrewes with Lady Victoria in the Garden

Now open The Gardens of Surprise incorporates the newly created Historical Garden of Surprises, opened in 2007 and the Contemporary Sculpture Garden a favourite of visitors for 9 years at Burghley, and the newly created Historical Garden of Surprises, opened in 2007.

Opened in 2007 the new Historical Garden of Surprises is a fantastic addition to the gardens at Burghley . Hidden inside a Yew hedge is an experience that will delight the senses. Mirrors exaggerate, mazes confuse, squirts of water distract, the dank moss house captivates, transforming sculptures dazzle, the grotto entices and the longitude dial educates and astonishes!

The Garden of surprises has been created in the eastern corner of the Burghley Deer Park next to the existing Sculpture Garden and the lower works yard some two hundred meters from the visitor entrance to Burghley House.

Burghley has always been at the forefront of garden development and in the sixteenth century the first Lord Burghley was a passionate gardener and the employer of the Tradescants. One of his gardens was noted by diarists of the day as containing “divers conceits, obelisks of many materials and a lead pond which was pleasant for bathing in the summer, as well as Caesars Heads contained in a circular building with a table made from “touchstone”. The amazing contents of the Garden of Surprises are inspired by this Tudor garden and are hidden from the outside waiting to reveal their surprises to those who enter. On entering the Garden through the large topiary gate visitors are able to wander around the wildly different areas.

Features such as the moss house, the swivelling busts, basins of water jets and the mirrored maze have been designed to be accessible to all regardless of age or interest, and is particularly enjoyable for the young or those young at heart who enjoy a paddle on a warm day! The garden exudes a real sense of fun.

Visitors will also be able to enjoy a cup of tea at the new café situated in the old kennels adjacent, adding another refreshment venue to the ever popular Orangery Restaurant. The Garden cafe is open weekends only during the winter season, and serves a range of hot beverages and snacks.

The Sculpture Garden at Burghley originated from an initiative by the Burghley House Trustees, who were conscious that only limited garden space was regularly accessible to visitors. In 1989, Capability Brown’s lost lower garden was designated to be cleared and planted as a natural setting in which to place contemporary sculpture. Work on restoring the garden, which covers approximately 15 acres, began in 1994.

The layout and pathways of the Sculpture Garden help to provide a structure and focus for the development of the sculpture collection and add to the tradition of management and innovation within the parkland. The positioning of the sculptures, particularly those that are site specific, often accentuates and draws attention to the spaces and plantings that surround them. A symbiotic relationship has begun to develop in which neither sculpture nor horticulture dominate in an area which remains essentially natural, offering an interesting and stimulating environment in which to enjoy contemporary art or simply to wander and spend time away from the hustle and bustle of modern life.

There is a unique exhibition of sculptures which takes place in the garden from June to October annually and there are also permanent exhibits on display throughout the year.

The Historical Garden of Surprises will reopen with the House on Good Friday 21st March. From that date normal admission charges apply for both gardens.