Hampshire &amp; Isle of Wight

<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="1013" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/hants/wp-content/uploads/sites/17/2024/01/Chewton-glen-winter-exterior.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-33017" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/hants/wp-content/uploads/sites/17/2024/01/Chewton-glen-winter-exterior.jpg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/hants/wp-content/uploads/sites/17/2024/01/Chewton-glen-winter-exterior-800x540.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/hants/wp-content/uploads/sites/17/2024/01/Chewton-glen-winter-exterior-1000x675.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/hants/wp-content/uploads/sites/17/2024/01/Chewton-glen-winter-exterior-768x519.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /></figure>



Arriving on a frosty winter morning, wellies, thick socks and woolly hat firmly on, I set out for a walk around Chewton Glen, a traditional five-star country house hotel and 130-acre estate on the fringes of the New Forest.



Come spring and summer, the beautiful gardens and parkland here are awash with colour and greenery. For now, the plants are enjoying a winter rest. It’s something they badly need and are increasingly being deprived of thanks to the warming climate, muses my guide for the morning, Chewton Glen Estate Manager, Darren Venables.



“Winter is always a challenge,” he says. “The constant wet weather means it is difficult to work on the garden and it means that the plants are trying to grow with no defined seasons. We need cold dry winters to kill off the bugs and pests and make plants go fully dormant. Sadly, they don’t seem to happen anymore. We have cold snaps rather than weeks of cold weather and prolonged rain leads to flooded land. Having milder winters and essentially three rather than four defined seasons means plants don’t have time to rest.”



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="1838" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/hants/wp-content/uploads/sites/17/2024/01/Luke-Darren-Turnips-min.jpg" alt="Darren Venables and chef Luke Matthews at Chewton Glen" class="wp-image-33022" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/hants/wp-content/uploads/sites/17/2024/01/Luke-Darren-Turnips-min.jpg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/hants/wp-content/uploads/sites/17/2024/01/Luke-Darren-Turnips-min-653x800.jpg 653w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/hants/wp-content/uploads/sites/17/2024/01/Luke-Darren-Turnips-min-816x1000.jpg 816w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/hants/wp-content/uploads/sites/17/2024/01/Luke-Darren-Turnips-min-768x941.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/hants/wp-content/uploads/sites/17/2024/01/Luke-Darren-Turnips-min-1254x1536.jpg 1254w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /></figure>



Venables has worked at the hotel for more than 30 years, starting out as an apprentice and moving up to Head Gardener and Estate Manager. 



“I’ve always enjoyed working outside and grew up helping out with my parent’s allotments, so a career in horticulture was a natural step,” he says, “When the opportunity came up to work at Chewton Glen with its impressive rolling lawns, I jumped at it.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-sustainable-gardening-agenda-for-chewton-glen">Sustainable gardening agenda for Chewton Glen</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="996" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/hants/wp-content/uploads/sites/17/2024/01/Chewton-Glen-lake-and-fountain-estate-min.jpg" alt="Chewton Glen Estate Hampshire lake and fountains" class="wp-image-33018" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/hants/wp-content/uploads/sites/17/2024/01/Chewton-Glen-lake-and-fountain-estate-min.jpg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/hants/wp-content/uploads/sites/17/2024/01/Chewton-Glen-lake-and-fountain-estate-min-800x531.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/hants/wp-content/uploads/sites/17/2024/01/Chewton-Glen-lake-and-fountain-estate-min-1000x664.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/hants/wp-content/uploads/sites/17/2024/01/Chewton-Glen-lake-and-fountain-estate-min-768x510.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /></figure>



From the grand hotel forecourt to the sweeping grounds and parkland beyond, this huge estate is known for its manicured croquet lawns and displays. Now, however, Chewton Glen is working more harmoniously with nature, cutting right back on the use of chemicals and introducing sustainable gardening practices. 



“Rather than pre-grown, out-of-the-pot plants, which create a lot of plastic waste and need chemicals to maintain, we’ve been growing our own bedding plants, replanting bulbs and planting self-renewing things like grasses, for example”, explains Venables.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="1104" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/hants/wp-content/uploads/sites/17/2024/01/Chewton-Glen-exterior-statue.jpg" alt="Chewton Glen statue" class="wp-image-33021" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/hants/wp-content/uploads/sites/17/2024/01/Chewton-Glen-exterior-statue.jpg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/hants/wp-content/uploads/sites/17/2024/01/Chewton-Glen-exterior-statue-800x589.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/hants/wp-content/uploads/sites/17/2024/01/Chewton-Glen-exterior-statue-1000x736.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/hants/wp-content/uploads/sites/17/2024/01/Chewton-Glen-exterior-statue-768x565.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /></figure>



“The forecourt is the first impression for guests arriving with us, so we always need to create a wow in this area. But there are different ways to achieve that. For example, local artist Michael Turner made me a beautiful stag sculpture in the forecourt which we have under-planted with some of last year’s Christmas trees so it looks like it’s coming through a clearing in a woodland.&nbsp;&nbsp;



“Now the Christmas trees have been removed we will put out pots planted with tete-a-tete daffodils throughout the forecourt to boost the early spring colour. In a few weeks, we&#8217;ll start to pollard (prune) some Cornus stems to weave into hearts for Valentine’s displays.”&nbsp;



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="667" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/hants/wp-content/uploads/sites/17/2018/12/Chewton-Glen-exterior-LBB.jpg" alt="Chewton Glen Hotel New Forest Hampshire" class="wp-image-32762" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/hants/wp-content/uploads/sites/17/2018/12/Chewton-Glen-exterior-LBB.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/hants/wp-content/uploads/sites/17/2018/12/Chewton-Glen-exterior-LBB-800x534.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/hants/wp-content/uploads/sites/17/2018/12/Chewton-Glen-exterior-LBB-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/hants/wp-content/uploads/sites/17/2018/12/Chewton-Glen-exterior-LBB-787x525.jpg 787w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



Risking potential controversy, Venables focus on sustainable management has meant going virtually chemical free in the management of the rolling croquet lawns at the estate to avoid them ending up in the watercourse. 



“In the past, we needed all sorts of chemicals and fertilisers to keep the grass immaculate. Now we use other controls including nematode grubs eating the pests once killed by chemicals. Guests are understanding when they find a few weeds as they know it’s a trade-off of managing the lawn more sustainably.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-promoting-wildlife">Promoting wildlife </h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="1117" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/hants/wp-content/uploads/sites/17/2024/01/Bug-Hotel-at-Chewton-Glen-min-1-min.jpg" alt="Bug Hotel at Chewton Glen Estate Hampshire gardens" class="wp-image-33016" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/hants/wp-content/uploads/sites/17/2024/01/Bug-Hotel-at-Chewton-Glen-min-1-min.jpg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/hants/wp-content/uploads/sites/17/2024/01/Bug-Hotel-at-Chewton-Glen-min-1-min-800x596.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/hants/wp-content/uploads/sites/17/2024/01/Bug-Hotel-at-Chewton-Glen-min-1-min-1000x745.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/hants/wp-content/uploads/sites/17/2024/01/Bug-Hotel-at-Chewton-Glen-min-1-min-768x572.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /></figure>



Encouraging birds, insects and other wildlife on the estate is big on Venables’ agenda. “For years we have been trying to increase the songbird population by installing bird feeders and bird boxes and creating suitable habitat for them to nest,” he says. “We back this up with log stacks and ‘veteranize’ trees that are in decline by taking off failing limbs and leaving the trunks to deteriorate slowly. In doing so, we create a habitat for bugs and insects which the birds eat.&nbsp;



“We’re currently working on a project to build duck nesting tubes which will be installed on our reservoirs in February. We’d like to increase the number of birds on our reservoirs so guests see them when they walk to the beach.&nbsp;



“Once the season is over, we&#8217;ll use the old cut Christmas trees to create wildlife habitats and dead hedges to increase the ground nesting birds population. They also act as a suitable habitat and release site for rescue hedgehogs that local vets bring to us. We also have bat nesting boxes throughout the tree house woodland area. We know from wildlife surveys that these are all used.”&nbsp;&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-quite-the-buzz">Quite the buzz</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="1000" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/hants/wp-content/uploads/sites/17/2024/01/Chewton-glen-Honey.jpg" alt="Jars of honey made at Chewton Glen estate Hampshire beehives " class="wp-image-33019" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/hants/wp-content/uploads/sites/17/2024/01/Chewton-glen-Honey.jpg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/hants/wp-content/uploads/sites/17/2024/01/Chewton-glen-Honey-800x533.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/hants/wp-content/uploads/sites/17/2024/01/Chewton-glen-Honey-1000x667.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/hants/wp-content/uploads/sites/17/2024/01/Chewton-glen-Honey-768x512.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /></figure>



Through the walled garden and out into the orchard, we pass Chewton Glen’s beehives – clearly a source of quiet pride for Venables. “Our 70 hives and large bee population requires careful bee-friendly planting and garden management,” he says. “The bees are constantly foraging and looking for food and water so we can’t use pesticide or herbicides and all fertiliser needs to be organic. Bees need easy to access shallow water sources, so we’re currently in the process of rebuilding our bee pond area on our nursery.



“Most importantly, all our flowers have to be open single flowers so it’s easy for them to take nectar and pollen. We start from early February with crops like Muscari through to November with later perennials such as Salvias.”&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-kitchen-garden">The kitchen garden</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="1004" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/hants/wp-content/uploads/sites/17/2024/01/Chewton_greenhouse.jpg" alt="Darren Venables Estate Manager Chewton Glen Hampshire New Forest" class="wp-image-33015" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/hants/wp-content/uploads/sites/17/2024/01/Chewton_greenhouse.jpg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/hants/wp-content/uploads/sites/17/2024/01/Chewton_greenhouse-800x535.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/hants/wp-content/uploads/sites/17/2024/01/Chewton_greenhouse-1000x669.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/hants/wp-content/uploads/sites/17/2024/01/Chewton_greenhouse-768x514.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /></figure>



Used extensively by guests in the Cookery School, the Kitchen Garden at Chewton Glen is planted with some interesting produce. In the summer, there’s exotic and domestic chillis in varied sizes and heat intensity. 



Venables and his team have also successfully grown cucamelons (yep, a new one on us too!). Developed by the botanist James Wong, these cucumber and melon hybrids are served up on bowls in the bar at Chewton Glen as snacks, a real talking point for guests.



Edible flowers such as marigolds, violas and cut flowers such as dahlias grown for the hotel are another focus, as well as decorative chive flowers, herbs including lemon verbena and bay lavender and soft fruit such as medlars and saskatoon berries.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="1956" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/hants/wp-content/uploads/sites/17/2024/01/Sweetpeas-min.jpg" alt="Sweetpeas" class="wp-image-33020" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/hants/wp-content/uploads/sites/17/2024/01/Sweetpeas-min.jpg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/hants/wp-content/uploads/sites/17/2024/01/Sweetpeas-min-613x800.jpg 613w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/hants/wp-content/uploads/sites/17/2024/01/Sweetpeas-min-767x1000.jpg 767w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/hants/wp-content/uploads/sites/17/2024/01/Sweetpeas-min-768x1001.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/hants/wp-content/uploads/sites/17/2024/01/Sweetpeas-min-1178x1536.jpg 1178w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /></figure>



“We grow vegetables in patterns and focus on things that will that add value for the kitchen,” says Venables. “I’m a firm believer in doing things simply but well, rather than trying to grow lots of elaborate crops badly. Sunflowers and sweet peas (above) grown as floral decorations for the hotel are a good example. They always make people smile. Many tell us they&#8217;ve forgotten how beautiful the smell is.”



Into the orchards we find Chewton Glen’s 500 fruit trees. They include a sizeable collection of heritage varieties, many hailing from Hampshire, Dorset and Isle of Wight. Staff can help themselves and make whatever they like with the fruit. The big hope in the future, Venables tells me, is to grow enough to make a tasty estate-brewed cider for events. I’ll raise a glass to that.



<a href="https://www.chewtonglen.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Chewton Glen</a>, Christchurch Rd, New Milton BH25 6QS, Tel. 01425 275341.&nbsp;

This Hampshire Garden – Chewton Glen, New Milton

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