East Lambrook Manor Gardens
East Lambrook Manor, East Lambrook, near South Petherton, Somerset, TA13
East Lambrook Manor is the two-acre Somerset garden planted by Margery Fish from 1938, listed at the highest grade and still one of the defining English cottage gardens.
Visit information checked 22 October 2026
Garden UK guide
Why visit East Lambrook Manor Gardens?
East Lambrook Manor is where the writer and gardener Margery Fish made the informal, plant-packed style she called "jungle gardening", and it is a place of pilgrimage for anyone who loves cottage gardens. The two acres around a small 15th-century hamstone house have been restored since 1985 to the way they were at her death in 1969, so you are seeing her garden rather than a modern reinterpretation.
You enter through the Malthouse, a stone building that also holds a gallery and a café. Just behind it is the Ditch, once fed by running water and planted by Fish with moisture-loving plants. The water no longer flows, so it has been replanted as a sunken garden. To the east of the house is the Silver Garden, full of Mediterranean plants, many with silver leaves. Around the rest of the garden are the terraces Fish had built in 1938 and close, layered planting where every gap is filled.
The garden holds the National Collection of Geraniums and a collection of snowdrops, and several plants carry its name, including Artemisia absinthium 'Lambrook Silver', Euphorbia characias subsp. wulfenii 'Lambrook Gold' and Primula 'Lambrook Mauve'. For home gardeners the lesson is how to plant densely, use foliage as much as flowers and grow ground cover to keep weeds down. Since 2011 the garden has also run a horticulture course, the East Lambrook Diploma in Horticulture.
What to see
- The Silver Garden east of the house, with Mediterranean and silver-leaved plants.
- The Ditch, a former watercourse replanted as a sunken garden.
- The National Collection of Geraniums.
- A collection of snowdrops, a draw early in the year.
- Plants named after the garden, such as Artemisia 'Lambrook Silver' and Euphorbia 'Lambrook Gold'.
- The Malthouse, with its gallery and café.
East Lambrook Manor Gardens through the year
- spring
- Snowdrops are a highlight early in the year, followed by Primula and the first of the cottage planting.
- summer
- The geraniums of the National Collection and the packed cottage borders are at their peak.
- autumn
- Foliage, seed heads and late flowers keep the garden full as the season winds down.
- winter
- The garden usually closes for part of the year, so check season dates, especially for snowdrop openings.
The story behind the garden
East Lambrook Manor is a small hall-house built of Somerset hamstone in the 15th and 16th centuries. By the 1930s it was a disused chicken farm in poor repair. Margery Fish and her husband Walter bought it in 1937, had terraces built in 1938, and she gardened there until her death in 1969, writing several books on cottage gardens along the way.
After her death the garden declined, but from 1985 it was restored to the state she left it in. It was given the top listing in the Register of Historic Parks and Gardens in 1992, and the house is Grade II* listed. In 2011 the garden began offering the East Lambrook Diploma in Horticulture, a course covering theory and practice. The garden usually opens for around nine months of the year.
Plan your visit
- Best for
- Cottage garden lovers, plant enthusiasts and anyone who has read Margery Fish and wants to see her garden.
- Getting there
- East Lambrook Manor is in the hamlet of East Lambrook, close to South Petherton in south Somerset.
- Before you go
- Take time over the Silver Garden and the geranium collection, and allow for a stop at the Malthouse café. Check the official website for current opening days and tickets.
Source: Wikipedia: East Lambrook Manor
Questions about visiting East Lambrook Manor Gardens
Who created East Lambrook Manor Gardens?
Margery Fish, the gardener and writer, planted the garden with her husband Walter from 1938 until her death in 1969. She called her informal style jungle gardening and wrote several books about cottage gardens.
How big is East Lambrook Manor garden?
The garden covers about two acres around the 15th-century manor house. It is compact enough to see in a couple of hours, though plant lovers often stay longer.
Is there a café at East Lambrook Manor?
Yes. Visitors enter through the Malthouse, a stone building in the garden that contains a café and a gallery. Check the official website for current opening times.
When is the best time to visit East Lambrook Manor?
Early in the year for snowdrops, and summer for the National Collection of Geraniums and full cottage borders. The garden usually opens for around nine months of the year, so check dates first.
Is East Lambrook Manor a listed garden?
Yes. The garden was given the highest grade in the Register of Historic Parks and Gardens in 1992, and the house is Grade II* listed.
Garden features
Location
East Lambrook Manor, East Lambrook, near South Petherton, Somerset, TA13
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