Woodstock Estate

Woodstock Fog

Digital photograph of Woodstock estate in early November with morning fog just clearing

Woodstock Fog

Digital photograph of Woodstock estate in early November with morning fog just clearing

Woodstock Estate like many others was and is a constantly dynamic and evolving landscape. The original parkland planting probably dated from the 1780's. The trees used would have been mainly beech, oaks and horse chestnuts. These would have been planted in isolated clumps surrounded by areas of 'lawn'. These areas were punctuated by 'rides' and avenues providing vistas across the Nore Valley. These man-made but naturalistic landscapes were the vogue of the time.

The 19th Century saw changes in both garden design and usage. Plant hunters scoured the World bring exciting and exotic new species to populate the Garden. Victorian fashions favoured evergreens and conifers. There was a return to formality in the form of parterres, topiary and Garden statuary and Urns. Exotic landscapes were created using coloured stones often concreted together in unusual shapes. These 'Rockeries' were usually planted with ferns, another Victorian specialty.

Woodstock with its arboretum stocked with exotic conifers, its 'rockeries' and its 'Winter Garden' with its parterres and coloured gravels reflected these trends. The old avenues were lined with exotic conifers like Monkey Puzzles and Noble Fir giving an new emphasis to an old idea.