Whatever the season a visit to Eythrope Gardens will be met with wonderful bursts of colour. But in autumn it is especially varied and vibrant. Even as you arrive there’s a selection of just-picked produce which gives you a sense of how much is still being grown throughout September and October from multi-coloured pumpkins to purple-hued plums.
This four-acre walled garden was created by Miss Alice de Rothschild in the 1870’s. She had tremendous vision and determination to change what she referred to as a ‘swamp’ into a productive kitchen garden which is still just as busy, and incredibly, celebrated its 150th anniversary in 2025.
Importantly, Eythrope’s produce is not just for show but supplies Waddesdon Manor’s restaurant and cafes, the Five Arrows Hotel and the gift shop, all year round. Fresh vegetables, herbs, fruit and flowers are picked and delivered weekly, and help shape the menus. Last year 1.1 tonnes of apples were harvested, pressed, bottled and sold in the Manor’s shop, a mere 3 miles from where they’ve grown.
If you come on one of the guided tours you can try some of Eythrope’s other juices too, including: Discovery Apple, Pear, and Lord Jacob Rothschild’s favourite Eythrope tipple, a delicious mix of apple, pear and quince juice, a unique recipe followed every autumn.
This careful balance between honouring the past and following traditions, while cultivating all of Waddesdon Manor’s gardens and meet the demands of the cafes and hotel, takes a team of gardeners. Led by Head of Gardens Suzie Hanson and Daniel Jones, Assistant Gardens Manager there is never a quiet season and takes year-round planning and a lot of skilled work.
During autumn they are particularly busy picking apples and pears where there is a mix of traditional and modern varieties. There are 36 apple varieties grown in the orchard and also on the wonderful, curved apple and pear tunnel which was planted back in the 1990’s.
There are more splashes of autumnal colour in the flowering beds. The pop of colour from the marigold Tagetes ‘Cinnibar’, the intense purple of Tibouchina urvilleana and the multi-coloured dahlias. Dahlias have long been a feature at Eythrope with 30 cultivars and species grown at Eythrope. These seasonal fresh flowers can be seen daily in the Manor restaurant.
