‘World’s oldest’ topiary garden 90 minutes from Manchester slashes entry fee this weekend

Levens Hall, which lays claim to having the ‘world’s oldest topiary garden’, is offering discounted entry this weekend to celebrate World Topiary Day. The Cumbrian-based gardens, near Kendal, hold a Guinness World Record for its stunning green creations.

This year the gardens celebrate its 330th anniversary, having been founded in 1694. To mark the anniversary and in light of World Topiary Day on May 12, the gardens will slash their admission fees to just £3.30.

But visitors will need to act swiftly to make the most of the offer, as it only applies for the first hour of opening this Sunday, from 10am to 11am. After that, standard admissions will apply. These are £11.50 per adult, £5.50 per child and £39 for a family ticket, for gardens-only admission.

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Alongside the discounted entry free, the gardens are putting on various special events in light of World Topiary Day. Head gardener, Chris Crowder, who has tended over 100 pieces of amazing themed and shaped topiary trees in the garden since 1986, will be leading special topiary tours at 11am, 1pm and 3pm.

The tours will include the Giant Umbrella Tree and massive Beech Hedge, with Chris sharing his insider knowledge on how to shape these iconic pieces of topiary. Various characters and features in the gardens will be shown in the tour, including Queen Elizabeth I and her Maids of Honour, the Toppling Wedding Cake and even Homer Simpson.

Artist Bob Sutcliffe will be painting in the gardens and offering an art workshop. Several of his works of art have been hidden in the gardens, so families can seek them out. Visitors can also enter the Beaumont Banner competition, named