Milton Lodge stands high on the Mendips, offering a panoramic view over the Vale of Avalon and south towards Wells Cathedral. The gardens mix traditional English plants with unusual Mediterranean varieties which take advantage of the garden's microclimate.
History
The gardens at Milton are the brainchild of Mr Charles Tudway, who transformed a sloping hillside into a series of terraces overlooking the valley below. Over a period of a decade, the hillside was altered to create 4 terraces, with a pond and a combe garden.
The Upper Terrace offers the best views, with glimpses of the towers of Wells Cathedral and Glastonbury Tor in the distance. At the bottom of this terrace are trees underplanted with wildflowers and bulbs that offer colour in the early spring. Also on this level ate 4 cannons from the Napoleonic Wars.
The Central Terrace mixes perennials and shrubs, including an 80-year-old Feijoa sellowiana from South America. At the far end of the terrace is a lily pond edged with stones, surrounded by a gravelled area with potted plants including agapanthus and fuchsias. The Sundial Terrace is the place to find old roses, with a long, colourful border sheltering beside a stone wall.
The Combe offers a contrast to the formal terraces. This 8-acre arboretum is an oasis of peace and calm, though it borders on the city of Wells. Within the Combe are old trees including oak and a chestnut that rises over 100 feet, as well as a handkerchief tree brought from China around 1900. The Combe began in the 18th century, at the same time as the manor house (not open to the public).
Milton Lodge is open from spring through autumn.
