A Jewel in the Crown Estate
The Savill Garden was created in the 1930s by Sir Eric Savill under the patronage of King George V and Queen Mary. Tucked within the southern fringes of Windsor Great Park, its 35 acres contain one of the finest collections of temperate plants in Britain. The garden is arranged as a series of interconnecting areas – the Spring Wood, the Summer Gardens, the Autumn Wood and the Winter Beds – ensuring interest throughout the year.
Spring is the garden’s most celebrated season, when the woodland paths are lined with drifts of camellias, magnolias, rhododendrons and azaleas reflected in the still waters of the ponds. The Summer Gardens transition to herbaceous borders, a dry garden inspired by Beth Chatto, and a New Zealand garden that showcases the diversity of southern-hemisphere planting.
The Savill Building & Practical Details
The Savill Building, opened in 2006 and designed by Glenn Howells Architects, won a RIBA Award for its elegant gridshell roof made from interlocking timber laths. It houses a restaurant, shop and exhibition space, and serves as the main entrance to the garden. The building itself has become an architectural destination.
Savill Garden is reached via Wick Lane, Englefield Green, with ample parking. It is a short drive from the M25 junction 13 or the M3. Combined tickets are available for Savill Garden and the adjacent Valley Gardens, which offer further acres of woodland and heather planting within the Great Park.
