Charleston House Garden

Nestled in the picturesque rolling hills of the Sussex South Downs, Charleston House became home to artists Vanessa Bell and Duncan Grant during the First World War. Grant, a conscientious objector, needed to find farm work and so they moved to the 16th century farmhouse located outside Lewes in 1916. Both were members of the Bloomsbury Group and soon started to paint every surface of the farmhouse, transforming it into a work of art. This living art extended to the garden which was redesigned in 1918, by their friend and critic, Roger Fry. In the walled garden, he carved out a rectangular lawn and drew long gravel paths, bordered with large flowerbeds where gnarled apple trees are surrounded by flowers they loved to paint. In Spring, the garden is a riot of colour thanks to the many tulips which have been planted amongst the perennials which are emerging including Tulipa 'Greenland', with waves of Myosotis sylvatica bringing a softness to the planting. A cloud box hedge divides the cottage garden, with its hints of mediterranean planting, and the kitchen garden, located at the end of wall garden. Various sculptures and mosaics are dotted around the garden and by the large pond with paths leading to it lined with wild garlic.