What to See
The garden is set on the slope of Holbrook Hill, where the underlying soil is heavy clay. There is a colourful wildflower meadow with early interest in the firm of cowslips and fritillaries, plus an attractive woodland garden.
Following a Mediterranean colour scheme, the garden builds interest slowly during the seasons, with rhododendrons giving way to bright and bold colours later in the summer, when red, yellow, purple and vibrant blues dominate. This means that by the time most gardens are fading in September, Holbrook is at its peak of rich colour and scent.
The garden is constantly evolving, with new experimental areas always under development, and new planting schemes always being tried out. Some areas include a wet garden, a stone garden planted to attract butterflies, a damp summer meadow, and a pink garden. The stone garden holds a remarkable 48 tonnes of pebbles and stone, used to create an attractive home for hot climate plants.
These garden areas are planted to create a natural mix of plants, as you would find them in nature, rather than a more regimented traditional style of distinct beds separated from each other.
Holbrook covers 2 acres and stands on the fringe of Sampford Peverell village, 4 miles from Tiverton. The philosophy behind the gardening is essentially German naturalism, with attention to the native wild plant population and local species. The garden is home to the National Collection of the genus Helenium.
Holbrook is usually open from spring through autumn and for special National Garden Scheme open days throughout the year. Please check the NGS website for exact days and times. The garden stands beside a garden centre where you can buy many of the plant species you see on display in the main garden.
