Explore the
West Garden
Reorganised in 1900 with the help of experts from Kew, the West Garden provides a splendid show of colour from April through to September.
In the beautiful West Garden, borders bloom with botanical surprises, including naturalised crown imperials and a beautiful handkerchief tree.
In spring, an incredible magnolia tree takes centre stage, followed by a waterfall of white wisteria, and colourful pops of peonies and alliums.
In the centre of the West Garden, a tapestry of box-edged parterres bursts with beautiful bearded irises from late May to early June.
Doddington Hall is also home to the National Plant Collection of Tall Bearded Irises; raised by celebrated iris breeder Bryan Dodsworth and located in the Kitchen Garden.
Cultivated in the West Garden since the 1980s, irises are one of our signature plants.
Grown within box and grass-edged parterres, the irises at Doddington form a striking tapestry of colour in the West Garden.
This beautiful display is short-lived, with the irises usually flowering from May through to early June. Claire’s father, Antony Jarvis, is the creator of our popular iris display:
“Bearded iris flowers are held high in the air and their translucence makes them particularly beautiful in the evening light. They provide a surprisingly long show when well-grown, producing the full number of flowers per stem, and out of season, the foliage makes for attractive groundcover.”
Antony is also responsible for devising the ‘Doddington System’ – a simple, low-maintenance way of managing irises that helps them flower reliably every year.
Unlike the traditional method of dividing overcrowded clumps every three to four years, which can interrupt bud formation, the Doddington system leaves established plants undisturbed for long periods. This results in healthier plants, more consistent flowering and less work for our gardeners.
The exact timing of iris season depends on the weather so be sure to check our social media for updates from May onwards.
Thinking about
stopping by?
With so much to do at Doddington, it can be hard to fit everything into just one day. So here are a few useful things to know before you set off:
Fill your garden
with colour
After flowering has ended in June, our garden team split the irises every year using the ‘Doddington System’. At this point the early summer leaves and flower stems have started to die back, and the late summer leaves have started to grow.
After splitting, we sell Doddington iris rhizomes in the Farm Shop – keep an eye on our social media for when they hit the shelves.
National Plant
Collection
Doddington Hall is home to the National Plant Collection of Tall Bearded Irises raised by Bryan Dodsworth, one of the most celebrated British iris breeders of the 20th century.
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