This year’s weather has been challenging, but the garden is still looking remarkably good. Some plants even thrive in these conditions. Verbena bonariensis continues to flourish, and the achilleas are perfectly at home in the hot, dry spells. As our summers become increasingly warm and dry, gardens across the country may well shift towards this style of resilient, drought‑tolerant planting.
We are fortunate that East Lambrook Manor Garden is so well established. Next year marks 90 years since Margery Fish began creating the garden, and many of the shrubs and trees she planted are now mature and deeply rooted. The trees, in particular, have transformed the garden by providing essential shade. That combination of long cultivation and cooling canopy means the garden stays fresh and colourful throughout the summer and well into autumn.
Our years gardening in Seattle taught us something similar. Summers there often reach 40°C with little or no rain, followed by hard frosts and relentless winter rainfall. Yet our garden thrived beneath mature trees that sheltered us from wind and heat. The plant palette we used there is very close to what we grow at East Lambrook today — proof that, with thoughtful care and the right structure, this kind of garden can flourish even in the more extreme weather patterns now appearing in Somerset
Summer borders are popping with colour at East Lambrook including the verbena, achillea, and many more summer favourites.
Our first snowdrop season since moving back to the UK last year and wow! What an event. I have gardened in America for 30 years and don’t ever recall there being much fuss about snowdrops. We had them in our garden, and even had a few different varieties, but what happens in England takes it to a whole new level. The sheer volume of varieties for a start. Then, when you talk to real galanthophiles, you start to hear stories about the “snowdrop glitterati” (fascinating). And, there’s “Grumpy”. Everyone wants Grumpy. The few we had for sale were snapped up before we even opened. We do have a couple of small clumps in our growing stock that we are thinking of twin-scaling to increase long-term availability.
I could go on, the weather (flooding), the cake demand, handling coach loads of people. It all added spice to the month long event. I’m glad we got through it (tired but unscathed) and we’ll be ready to do the whole thing again next year.
Looking forward to Spring
Meanwhile Spring is arriving fast. We’ve closed for a month to get ready for the Spring/Summer season in the garden. That will start April 1st. But, already the garden is changing on a daily basis. Still lots to do. On top of the regular weeding, pruning and general tidying we are also working on several new things. Car park improvements, new signage, and two brand new garden areas. I also have to cram in a week back in America for (unrelated) business reasons. So, as I sit here early on the first Monday morning after Snowdrop season I’m not sure how we are going to get it all done. But, we have a great group of employees and volunteers so, with their help we will be ready for our first visitors next month. Hope to see you all then.
It’s been a soggy start to snowdrop season. This time last week we had quite a bit of rain and some localised flooding which quickly drained away, but that has not stopped the media, and even some local politicians from making it sound like the whole of Somerset was, and perhaps still is, under water. It’s true that some parts of the levels are still flooded but that’s not unusual this time of year. We, on the other hand, are not on the levels, so no problems getting around. When you head on over to see us stick to the main routes and you will be fine. Certainly getting to us from the South Petherton turn-off on the A303 is absolutely no problem.
Meanwhile, the garden is just doing its thing. This picture, taken yesterday afternoon shows “the ditch” in full bloom. So, we’ll put the kettle on and look forward to seeing you later this week
Wednesday to Sunday – 10am till 5pm. Buy tickets in advance or pay on-the-door.
We’ve been prepping the cafe for the reopening next week. Lot’s of small improvements to help with the flow. We have some new offerings in the gift shop and a new coffee machine has arrived that not only operates faster and but has some additional options to make your visit even better. The log burner has had an overhaul and the pub across the road (The Rose and Crown) has come up with a Snowdrop Special menu in case you work-up an appetite for something a bit heartier.
The volunteers have been having fun during their breaks trying out some new recipes. Some of them get a bit carried away but it’s all in a hard day’s volunteering at the garden.
It’s a wet Saturday afternoon a few days before we open for our Snowdrop Festival. The last month has been non-stop but the team has done a great job. The snowdrops are looking amazing and their timing is perfect this year. All the earlier varieties are out with a few more of the later ones still emerging to give us some natural succession. So I put my wellies on and went for a quick splash down the ditch to get a close-up view. We are looking forward to seeing you all in the next few weeks so we can share our own magical corner of Somerset. Garden opens 10am this Wednesday (January 28th) and will continue to open 5 days a week (Wens – Sun) till the end of February.
Our new map has been finished and is ready for distribution to our visitors as they arrive. Created by renowned New York artist, Micah Lomel, it has an illustrative style that reflects the romantic nature of the garden. Micah visited the garden last summer and after a few drone shots and a video conference call or two the final map arrived. It shows the separate garden rooms with their corresponding names and includes some new areas like the long double border that leads into a brand new picnic garden which we hope will attract families. The level of detail is interesting. Can you spot the garden hose snaking on the ground outside the greenhouse or the chickens foraging in a quiet corner behind the potting shed. Be sure to ask for your copy when you arrive to explore our garden.
When I made a speculative side trip to Somerset in December 2024, I had no idea that Margery Fish’s garden at East Lambrook was about to change our lives. We were living in Seattle, but feeling the pull of home after more than thirty years away. We had seen the Manor listed for sale on-line but an offer had been made. However something about it compelled us to visit anyway.
What we found was a beautiful English garden at a turning point. The owner wasn’t entirely comfortable with the existing offer, as it would have meant the permanent closure of the garden. Fast forward five months and we had sold up in America, packed our worldly goods into a couple of containers, and moved into a medieval house with a Grade I listed garden, a national reputation, and a community of people who cared deeply about its future.
We weren’t new to gardening—we’d created several gardens over the years including a 2‑acre cottage garden in Washington State—but East Lambrook is a different scale of responsibility. What we discovered was a garden in need of fresh energy, and that became our starting point.
Restoring the Green Garden: Before and After
One of the first areas we tackled was the Green Garden, an impenetrable corner right by the entrance. Roughly 10m x 15m, the original shrubs were still there but it had become overgrown with a solid mass of Vinca topped with bramble. Clearing it was heavy work, but as the old layout emerged, so did our sense of purpose. The transformation has been one of the most satisfying milestones of our first year.
Green Garden before and after. Paths emerged and buried plants were revealed.
Key Projects and Milestones in 2025
Much of 2025 was spent uncovering, repairing, and rethinking areas that had quietly slipped out of view:
Restoring the long border by the main lawn
Reorganising the working area for composting, propagation, and growing-on
Opening up a new 30m x 10m section for future planting
Beginning the transformation of the old car park into an orchard and picnic area
Welcoming chickens into the garden (they like to help the volunteers)
Making the White Garden more white, with some fresh planting and subtle tweaks
Empowering staff and volunteers to tackle long‑standing jobs
Reclaiming the private courtyard at the front of the Manor and opening up what should be the herb garden by the kitchen
Clearing years of chemicals and clutter from the potting shed and surrounding area
And yes — installing a rather fancy coffee machine in the café
All the while, the garden stayed open. We talked to visitors, learned names (hundreds of them), celebrated milestones with the community, and mourned lost friends. We welcomed curious friends and family from America and the North of England, all wondering what on earth we were doing. Truthfully, we’ve loved every minute.
Looking Ahead: Plans for 2026
If you visit now, the overall garden looks fabulous, but you’ll see a few corners that are very much a work-in-progress. Please bear with us. Our aim is simple: to help the garden and the community thrive while honouring the legacy of Mrs. Fish.
Thank you to our staff, volunteers, neighbours and visitors for your support throughout 2025. We look forward to welcoming you back in 2026 and sharing the next chapter of East Lambrook’s story.
Andrew and Alison – The new owners: shortly after move-in in May 2025.
