Perhaps one of our worst kept secrets can be found hidden away at Ashdown Hotel, the aptly named, Secret Garden.
The secret garden was added to Ashdown Park’s glorious grounds in the 1920’s; around the same time the Chapel and East Wing were built by the order of the Nuns of Notre Dame. Originally used as a contemplation garden by the nuns, it mainly consisted of shrubs, large rhododendrons and trees.
In 1974 Ashdown Park became a Barclays Bank Management Training Centre and remained as such until being sold to its present owners, Elite Hotels, in February 1993. It was Barclays Bank who commissioned the water feature which sits proudly at the heart of this blissful garden and has since become home to a ‘troubling’ of Gold Fish.
In 2010, following a combination of storm damage and the great magnitude some of the shrubs and rhododendrons had grown to, the secret garden was reinvented with a more delicate appearance. New roses and small flower beds were added to create the beautiful serene space you can enjoy today.
Guests are encouraged to explore Ashdown Park’s grounds during their stay, but shhh, don’t tell anyone – it’s our ‘secret’.