Redhill Lodge and Boughton House
Join the Garden Museum on a day of garden visits to Redhill Lodge and Boughton House.
Today we will meet at Corby – only an hour and a quarter by train from London’s St Pancras – to visit gardens in two counties that deserve to be better known and appreciated. Our day begins in Rutland in the young and still-evolving garden of Redhill Lodge, home of garden designer Sue Moffitt and her husband Richard. We will have coffee here with Sue, who will show us round. Wrapped around a new Arts and Crafts-style house on a hillside overlooking the Welland Valley, the garden features a grass amphitheatre and a spiral-shaped viewing mound, inspired by the work of landscape architects Kim Wilkie and Charles Jencks. A rill and cascade connect the various ironstone paved terraces that surround the house and, as well as a tranquil reflecting pool, there is also a stream and natural swimming pond with artfully-placed ironstone rocks unearthed on site. There should still be plenty of late-summer colour in the prairie-style planting, herbaceous borders and parterre.
We will then drive to Boughton House, the Northamptonshire stately home of the Dukes of Buccleuch, to enjoy its expansive landscape after a delicious lunch in the Stable block café. Our visit to Boughton focuses on two particular elements of the more recent works here and we are fortunate to have as our guide Lance Goffort-Hall, who has overseen the restoration of Boughton’s landscape for over 10 years.
Orpheus – a 60-metre square carved out of the ground – designed by Kim Wilkie and described by Anna Pavord as “a staggeringly beautiful earthwork”, was commissioned in 2009 by the current Duke (Richard) to add a “21st century edge” to this historic landscape. Lance led the project to construct it and will share with us his insight into the design intent and the challenges of the build.
The Grand Étang – a lake with just over an acre of surface water, close to the house – was constructed in the 1690s and fully restored in 2014, complete with a breathtaking water jet that rises over 20 metres into the air. The lake reflects the North Wing, restoring the magical view that first greeted early visitors to the house. Walking back for afternoon tea, we will have the chance to explore the walled garden and the alpine and sensory gardens within.
Tickets £135, Friends £120
10.15am start. Finish time: 5.00pm*
*Finish times are approximate – please allow for flexibility at the end of the day.
This event has been organised by the Garden Museum’s Garden Visits committee. We recommend you read our Garden Visits Attendee Charter and Refund/exchange policy before booking your place on any of our Garden Visits.