Pinède (Pine Grove)

There is an air of Italy in this discreet garden, a place conducive to leisure and rest. The umbrella pines and scattered stelae evoke an ancient past: Arcadia is not far off, and one almost expects a shepherd to appear, stepping straight out of a baroque pastoral. Or is it a solitary wanderer, drawn into reverie by the melancholic charm of the place?

The Pinède, in William Christie's words:

This pine grove, or boschetto, is a nod towards Italy. Its components are quite simple: a collection of umbrella pines and cypresses. In spring this quiet, restful space blooms spectacularly with thousands of white narcissi and white tulips.

Gardener's word

Here in spring there are pools of white Narcissus ‘Mount Hood’ and Narcissus ‘Thalia’ which are followed by the the tulip ‘White Triumphator’. The shrub rose that grows in the beds along the nut walk is Rosa ‘Bonica’, a modern hybrid that flowers for several months.

John Hoyland, advisor for garden design at Glyndebourne and WIlliam Christie's friend