Our history of Longstock Park Water Gardens begins in 1870.
1870 |
The then garden owner Mr Joshua East excavated what is now the lake forgravel. He used the gravel to form roads through the Estate. As a keen horticulturist, Mr East created a kitchen garden and a small orchard on the site that is now the water garden. |
1914 |
Longstock House (a private residence that sits on the grounds opposite the water garden) and the Estate were sold to the Beddington family. |
1930s |
It was Reginald Beddington, son of Mr D L Beddington, and his mother Winifred who created the Water Garden during the 1930s. The Water Garden was then a modest display consisting of a central channel flanked by two lagoons and beds of water loving hardy perennials. The kitchen garden and much of the orchard were uprooted to make way for the water garden and a channel was dug to and from the River Test to ensure a continual flow of fresh water. The summer house, which still exists today, was built as a refuge for Winifred Beddington and an elaborate Monet style bridge was constructed. The family were known for their love of posing for photographs on the bridge. |
1945 |
John Spedan Lewis purchased Longstock House and the Estate. This became part of his existing property portfolio including land and property that he already owned across the river, in the village of Leckford. It formed in total the 4000-acre Leckford Estate. Spedan Lewis wanted to transform Longstock Park Water Garden into a tranquil paradise and an escape from the frenzy of running a chain of department stores in London. Spedan Lewis took up permanent residence in Longstock House overlooking the Water Garden and began massively expanding and improving the garden in line with his own tastes. Spedan Lewis had no experience in garden design but had a clear vision of what he wished to create and asked those that could to help him achieve it! While an avid horticulturist, Spedan Lewis had no experience in designing gardens and therefore took a hands-on approach to ensure the garden matched his vision. Under Spedan Lewis’ exacting directions, he often invited his guests staying at Longstock House down to the Water Garden with golf bags full of poles and staked out what would become the islands and channels. A team of labourers dug the channels by hand, as the ground was too boggy for heavy machinery to operate in. Spedan Lewis’ vision for the garden placed the planting firmly at the forefront. He removed the Monet style bridge and replaced it with a functional plank design which is still in use today. He did not want to distract the eye from the beauty of the planting. Under the direction of naturalist Terry Jones and Head Gardener then, Jim Saunders, water loving plants were introduced from all corners of the globe, Although plants were imported from as far afield as the Himalayas and Amazon basin, many were simply purchased from Hillier’s Nursery in nearby Romsey and Spedan Lewis would in turn become good friends with Sir Harold Hillier. The water garden evolved significantly for the rest of Spedan Lewis’ life and much of his later years were spent within the garden. |
1955 |
Prior to Spedan Lewis’ retirement in 1955 a telephone line was run to the thatched summer house that you can see in the garden today, this allowed Spedan Lewis to conduct business from the water garden. The entire partnership was, at times, managed from this idyllic setting! |
1963 |
After Spedan Lewis’ death in 1963 the water garden was held in trust by the Partnership and made available as a benefit for Partners, which it has remained to this day. |
The Following Decades |
The water garden has continued to evolve and mature, under the expert care of the following head gardeners: Jim Saunders (1947 – 1981) Michael Stone (1981 – 2004) Robert Ballard (2004 – Present) |
Today |
As of 2021 the Water Garden is open to the public from April to October, allowing many more to experience the beauty and colour of this splendid garden and enjoy the fruits of Spedan Lewis’ vision - for a peaceful and immaculately planted garden. |
