Marks Hall Gardens and Arboretum

Marks Hall Estate forms an unmissable attraction in the Essex countryside. Marks Hall combines many English traditions with beautiful formal gardens, a stunning Arboretum of over 200 acres with an enviable collection of mature trees from all the temperate areas of the world, woodland and leafy paths to walk on for miles. 

The walled garden is a unique blend of traditional long borders and contemporary gardens with inventive landscaping, grass sculpture and stunningly colourful mass plantings.

On the opposite side of the lake, the Millennium Walk designed for winter shape, scent and colour and provides stunning reflections in the water. Low sun gives wonderful reflections of the colourful stems of masses of cornus and rubus, as well as graceful birches and majestic grasses.

The undulating landscape of Gondwanaland features Southern Hemisphere plantings sheltered on the western edge by the planting of Nothofagus (Southern beech). Over 200 Eucalyptus trees have been planted and on warm days the oil aroma provides a heady scent. Here you will also find the largest planting in Europe of the Wollemi Pine, a striking tree from the dinosaur age that was thought to exist only in fossil records, until it was rediscovered in Australia in 1994.

No visit to Marks Hall is complete without exploring our plant centre and shop and enjoying home-made refreshments in our Visitor Centre and tea room, housed in a 15th Century Essex barn.