A Legacy of Horticultural Excellence
Borde Hill was purchased by Colonel Stephenson R Clarke in 1893 with the vision of creating a magnificent garden. Passionate about rare and exotic plants, he sponsored numerous plant-hunting expeditions to all corners of the world, working with legendary explorers such as E.H. Wilson, George Forrest, and Frank Kingdon-Ward. Seeds brought back from these journeys helped establish Borde Hill’s extraordinary collection of trees and shrubs, which now boasts one of the country’s largest privately owned collections of TROBI registered ‘champion’ trees.
The Colonel’s commitment to horticultural excellence is evident in Borde Hill’s unique collection, which includes some of Britain’s most extraordinary botanical treasures. The Chinese tulip tree (Liriodendron chinense), the first to bloom outside its native China, stands as a symbol of the Garden’s pioneering spirit. Other rare specimens include Meliosma beaniana, a species nearly impossible to propagate, with only three known specimens in the UK, the towering 60ft Magnolia campbellii, and Emmenopterys henryi, a rare Chinese tree that took over 80 years to flower after being planted at Borde Hill in 1928.
Borde Hill is also home to a remarkable collection of camellias, including varieties cultivated in the Garden, such as Camellia ‘Donation’, bred by the Colonel’s Head Gardener, Walter Fleming, in 1937/38. This variety achieved the RHS Award of Merit in 1941 and went on to receive an RHS Gold Medal in 1958. Its name reflects the Colonel’s wish to offer it as a gift to the nation during wartime Britain. Other notable varieties raised at Borde Hill include Camellia ‘Salutation’, which won an RHS Award of Merit in 1936, and Camellia ‘Creation (Clarke)’.
The Colonel’s generosity and passion for sharing botanical wonders reshaped British gardening. Described by nurseryman Harold Hillier as “the greatest amateur all-rounder in 20th-century gardening,” he donated countless seedlings, plants, and trees to nurseries and botanical gardens across Britain.
Our Horticultural Archive
Borde Hill’s horticultural archive is one of the most significant collections of its kind in the country, with over 75,000 historical records documenting the fascinating stories and correspondence behind the plant hunters’ expeditions of the early 1900s. This extensive archive provides invaluable insights into the pioneering work of the explorers, capturing the excitement and discoveries that helped shape the development of horticulture. The collection is not only a treasure trove of historical letters and records, but it also illustrates the impact these expeditions had on plant science and garden design.
As one of the largest archives dedicated to this field, Borde Hill’s collection offers a rare and exciting glimpse into the world of early plant hunting and horticultural exploration. Preserving these rich narratives enables us to learn from the past, using its wisdom to help guide our future horticultural journey – one that embraces sustainability and resilience in the face of climate change.
Five Generations of Stewardship
Five generations of the Stephenson Clarke family, supported by the Garden Charity, have now nurtured and expanded the Garden. Today, ambitious projects such as Reinventing Borde Hill continue this legacy, preserving our extraordinary horticultural collection while inspiring future generations to connect with the restorative power of nature.
Read more about the ‘Reinventing Borde Hill’ project
Camellia ‘Donation’
Magnolia campbellii
Liriodendron chinense
