Early spring is a very special time of year at Devon’s Mothecombe House, when new life suffuses its awakening 14 acres with fresh colour from magnolias, camellias and swathes of spring bulbs
WORDS EMMA INGLIS PHOTOGRAPHS GAP PHOTOS/MARK BOLTON
Tucked away down narrow lanes that slice between tall hedges, Mothecombe House, a pretty Queen Anne jewel in South Devon, and the family hub of the Flete Estate, shines brightly with the brushstrokes of early spring. Its sash windows overlook a wooded valley carpeted with wildflowers and waxen pink camellia blooms, rhododendrons and azaleas, which slopes down through gnarled oaks and big clumps of narcissus towards the sea.
“Spring is a bountiful time of year here with something new to see every time you walk through the garden,” says Lily Mildmay-White, who runs the garden with her husband John. “Snowdrops on the banks of the path, the orchard underplanted with daffodils, and then bluebells and hellebores. I love scent, so the daphne thriving under the Judas tree is a particular favourite right now.”
Head gardener Martin Haxton nods in agreement. “There are so many magnolias to enjoy, such as Magnolia stellata, Magnolia campbellii Alba Group and the bold and flashy ‘Felix Jury’.”
As spring breathes new life into the landscape, we step into a story that transcends seasons – a multi-generational tale woven into the fabric of the house and garden. As with so many English country houses, the briefest of potted histories reveals the multiple skilled hands responsible for house and grounds. The narrative surrounding this 14-acre garden begins with the arrival of the Mildmay family in 1873, but big changes came in 1925 when Alfred Mildmay commissioned renowned architect Edwin Lutyens to undertake renovations to the house. Lutyens’ expertise extended to the garden where he introduced a remodelled wisteria terrace that descended to a formal walled garden and added two new garden buildings.
In 1950, following her brother’s death, Helen Mildmay-White inherited the estate. She embarked on an ambitious reimagining of its landscape, seeking guidance from renowned horticulturist Lionel Fortescue, who had previously cultivated a celebrated garden at nearby Buckland Monachorum. The jewel of their collaboration is a camellia walk that runs through the orchard. “It’s magical; the pink petals scattered across the ground give it such great colour,” Martin enthuses.
In 1982, the responsibility for the estate and garden fell to Helen’s son, Anthony,
