About the garden
Owned by
Becky Stone
Located just of the A120, Markshall Estate is Essex’s best hidden secret. With 80ha (198 acres) of serene Essex countryside, a world-class arboretum and formal gardens, Markshall Estate forms an unmissable attraction. For more than 1,000 years, Markshall was like any other British estate; owned by a single family and operated principally for the benefit of the owner. The previous owner, Thomas Phillips Price, left the estate as a gift to the nation in his 1927 will, "for the advancement of agriculture, arboriculture and forestry". In 1971, Markshall Estate Charitable Trust was established and in the early 1990s opened to the public.
Here you can explore a world of trees as you stroll through the geographic zones, admiring plantings on a mass scale. Walk through Essex countryside, discover trees native to Asia, as well as North America and marvel at the largest collection of Wollemi pines in Europe surrounded by eucalyptus trees in Gondwanaland.
In the heart of the arboretum sits our stunning walled garden. It was created to supply the mansion house, which once sat in the 200-acre deer park, with fruit, vegetables, and fragrant blooms; it now boasts beautiful traditional and contemporary planting through a series of five separate gardens.
Visitors can walk the longest herbaceous border in Essex and admire the blooms; you may even meet one of our resident peacocks Percy and George as you explore.
Visitors can explore natural play areas, enjoy tasty treats from the Orchard Kitchen and browse the plant centre for Markshall Estate inspiration before completing their visit. It's the perfect day out for everyone!
