Explore the gardens
There's loads to see at Myddelton House Gardens with just a few of its wonderful features listed below:
Information update for visitors
Check out anything that may affect your visit to us such as last minute closures to the café or our cycling programmes.
The New River
Masterminded by Sir Hugh Myddelton, the New River brought fresh water from Ware in Hertfordshire to London. The river became redundant in 1859 but was kept as a feature in the garden until 1967. The footprint of this can still be seen in the gardens in the form of the New River Lawn.
The Alpine Meadow
In this area of the garden Bowles created an alpine environment inspired by his plant hunting holidays in the Pyrenees. From late winter and into spring a mass of snowdrops and crocuses appear, followed shortly after by daffodils and camassias. In summer the area is carpeted in a blue cloud of wild geraniums that grow up through the grass.
The Rock Garden
The Rock Garden is currently under restoration and we can’t wait to see the final work!
The Pond
Forming the centre piece of the gardens, the pond and its fountain make a tranquil spot to pause and watch the world go by. During summer days Bowles could often be seen weeding the pond margins and would regularly use water from the nearby New River to top up the water levels when they got too low.
The Market Cross
Bowles loved to salvage local relicts and artefacts, rescuing the Market cross from a builder’s yard where it was destined to become rubble. It now forms a striking feature in the centre of the Rose Garden, a formal area of beds that can be discovered in the hidden centre of the garden.
Japanese Knotweed
Bowles planted Japanese Knotweed in his garden at Myddelton House as he admired its architectural qualities, something that seems unthinkable today! Widely considered an invasive species, our gardeners still maintain two specimens as a means to educate visitors on how to identify the weed and to demonstrate that through careful maintenance it can be kept in check.
Fun for the little ones!
Let your little ones take on Ossie’s challenge discovering the gems in the gardens and museum! From finding hidden artefacts to colouring and puzzles, this pack is full of fun and comes with colouring pencils so it can be completed on the go.