Bryophytes and Lichen. Borde Hill Gardens. 17.03.17

Borde Hill Gardens and Woodland

I walked round the formal gardens and the woodlands; the bryophytes and lichens I saw in the formal gardens where not a planned part of the those gardens; they had grown there of their own accord!

The Garden is set within ... Grade II* heritage listed landscape in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, with stunning views of the Ouse Valley Viaduct and across the High Weald. Steeped in history, the Elizabethan Mansion House is a beautiful backdrop to our formal 17-acre Garden, where you can lose yourself in the tranquillity of 13 outdoor ‘Garden rooms,’ each with a distinctive character and planting style, from the Azalea Ring, tranquil Italian Garden and stunning Rose Garden.

Plants have been in our DNA since 1598 when Stephen Borde, the grandson of Henry VIII’s private herbalist and physician Andrew Borde, rebuilt the picturesque Elizabethan Mansion House at the core of our Estate.

Centuries later in 1893, Colonel Stephenson R Clarke sponsored the Great Plant Hunters on expeditions to all four corners of the world. The result is our beautiful heritage Garden and Grounds, which feature one of the largest collections of privately owned champion trees in the country. Historic Houses Borde Hill

Set within 383 acres of heritage listed Parkland, our paradise for plants in the heart of Sussex captivates and delights visitors ... Beyond the formal Garden, visitors can explore our historic Woodland, the South Park with tranquil lakes, and enjoy outstanding views across the Sussex High Weald. Borde Hill Gardens

Beyond the Garden lies 383 acres of Parkland and Woodland set within the beauty of the High Weald.

To the North-West of the Garden is Warren Wood, which was created in 1905 when Col. Stephenson Robert Clarke planted a collection of Picea (spruces) and Pinus (pines) from China and Japan. Warren Wood is home to the rare and elegant Himalayan Juniper (Juniperus rigida).

Other conifers include Cupressus sempervirens, the Italian cypress and Pinus attenuata from South Oregon and California. The wood also houses some extremely rare broadleafs including Malus, Prunus and Photinia. Borde Hill Woodlands

Barbula convoluta