Botanical Gardens Shaldon
Friends Of Homeyards Botanical Gardens Shaldon
The Gardens
The Gardens, once private, belong to Teignbridge District Council and are open to the public free of charge 7 days a week. Located on a sloping hillside above the seaside village of Shaldon, the gardens have stunning views of the Teign estuary and across Lyme Bay towards Dorset. The arboretum includes some striking trees and features such as the castle folly, the Burma Star rose garden, a pond & rill and an Italianate garden make the Gardens an interesting place to explore.
Homeyards Botanical Garden has consistently been awarded a Green Flag. It is tended by a part-time gardener and Friends group volunteers regularly work to maintain this public garden. The castle hosts community events and Friends volunteers open it for refreshments during the warmer months (please note the castle is generally unmanned and doesn’t have open access). It can be hired from Teignbridge for private parties.
Friends of Homeyards
Friends of Homeyards Botanical Gardens in Shaldon is a group, now a registered charity (CIO), originally established in 1989 to promote the proper maintenance and advancement of The Gardens
History
The Gardens were created by Maria ‘Laetitia’ Kempe Homeyard in the late 1920’s and early 1930’s, and were built by Thomas Rider of Southwark, London and the designer William Sears. They were constructed on a steeply sloping patchwork of fields above the picturesque village of Shaldon.
Location and Accessibility
Homeyards is an extremely steeply sloping site. Four of the five pedestrian entrances incorporate steep steps. The pergola entrance at the eastern end of the gardens (Horse Lane) is the most accessible for prams and wheelchairs.