Shuttleworth Swiss Garden

About the garden

Owned by

The Shuttleworth Trust

The Swiss Garden was created by Lord Robert Henley Ongley in the 1820s in a 'Swiss Picturesque' style and boasts 13 listed buildings and artefacts within its nine-acre grounds. 2024 will celebrate the Swiss Garden's 200-year anniversary.

Embellished with Victorian features during the 1870s by Joseph Shuttleworth, the garden and its buildings sit within the wider landscape of Old Warden Park, an early 19th century GradeII* registered parkland.    Lord Ongley's vision of a scene from the foothills of the Swiss Alps is realised in this charming landscape. The Shuttleworth family injected drama into the garden by introducing a range of artificial rockwork features created by the Pulham family, which include the stunning Grotto and Fernery, rock garden and pond cascade. The garden contains a unique collection of ironwork bridges and arches, some being made by Clayton and Shuttleworth.

Scented shrubs and snowdrops provide interest in winter, while spring showcases a host of yellow daffodils covering many of the Swiss Garden's banks, along with early tree blossom and an interesting range of alpine plants and bulbs in the rock garden. Rhododendrons blaze with rich colour in May and June, followed by herbaceous planting in garden borders and seasonal bedding in the Dolphin Tazza bed. In autumn, leaf colour and changing views are on offer as deciduous trees lose their leaves and open up views across the garden.

The Swiss Garden offers full access for everyone around the garden's perimeter and there is plenty of seating throughout, along with a woodland walk and sculpture trail adjacent to the estate lake.

The Swiss Garden is maintained by a head gardener and an enthusiastic team of volunteer gardeners. New team members are always welcome.

Admission includes entry to Shuttleworth's internationally acclaimed collection of historic aircraft and motor vehicles.