The History of Luton Hoo's Gardens & Grounds

The History of Luton Hoo’s Gardens & Grounds A CELEBRATION OF CAPABILITY BROWN THE PLEASURE GROUNDS & GARDENS Lancelot ‘Capability’ Brown The pleasure grounds lie to the south and east of the changed the face of house, largely enclosed by a brick ha-ha, with the eighteenth century England, garden features set within. designing country estates and The formal garden (about 1912, Listed Grade II) on mansions, moving hills and the south front consists of terraced gardens on two making serpentine lakes and levels, below the stone-flagged terrace adjacent to the flowing rivers, a magical house. The upper terrace contains two grass panels, world of green. edged by gravel paths and herbaceous flower borders This year sees a national celebration of Capability on the perimeter. The lower terrace contains a central Brown’s tercentenary with many of his major ornamental pool with a statue, with box-edged beds landscaped locations marking the occasion, including set in two lawns and two temple-style, domed, stone Luton Hoo. garden houses at the southern corners. The whole area is largely enclosed by clipped yew hedges. In 1762 the Luton Hoo estate was bought by the third Earl of Bute who employed Robert Adam to rebuild The terraces were laid out by William Romaine- the Mansion and Lancelot ‘Capability’ Brown to Walker in about 1912 to Charles Mewès' design design the parkland, enlarging it to 600ha. during Sir Julius Wernher's programme of extensive works to the house. Brown produced designs in 1764 and continued his work at Luton Hoo until 1774, being paid a total of The 1 hectare sunken woodland and rock garden £10,420 by the Earl. (constructed around 1903) was a gift from Sir Julius Werner to his wife Lady Zia. It lies 150 metres east The mansion at Luton Hoo was on the crest of a hill of the house, set in a south-facing hollow within the overlooking the valley of the River Lea, and Brown pleasure grounds, from which it is enclosed and created gently sloping lawns reaching down to the screened by mature trees and shrubs. The dominant river. These were edged by individual trees in some feature is the cascade and pool system running places and small clumps in others. Parallel to the through the area, with related cliffs, caverns, paths main vista, and also giving a view of the river, he and bridges, incorporating what appear to be artificial created a dell - a shallow valley with undulating and real rocks, flanked by open lawns and planted sides. Brown used his skill in the management of with shrubs and rock plants. water features to dam the river, creating a lake about a quarter of a mile wide in places and dotted with The pleasure grounds enclosing the garden features wooded islands. are laid to rough lawn with mature ornamental trees and shrubs, with an extensive lawn on the east front In 1783 there were between twenty and twenty-five of the house stretching 250 metres east. The east labourers employed in the park and farm in Luton lawn, flanked to north and south by mature trees, Hoo, and between ten and twelve in the gardens. overlooks the park, stretching down the valley to the There were two head gardeners - one for the grounds lakes and framing belt beyond, while the rising and shrubberies and one for the kitchen garden and hillside beyond the park, with its woodland clumps in pinery. agricultural land, forms a backdrop. “Wherever you stand, the influence of Brown’s Recent planting prior to the opening of the hotel, was creation can be seen. His landscapes are poetry” designed by Julian LLoyd Bore, with considerable Keith Hersey, Head Gardener at Luton Hoo Hotel. input from English heritage & other outside agencies. A general listing of Grade II has been applied to the For the ideal Capability Brown vista points, formal gardens to the south of the Mansion House. please refer to this symbol on your map. .

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