The Savill Gardens
The Savill Gardens
One Man's Vision Became One of Britain's Great Gardens
Hidden within Windsor Great Park lies one of Britain's finest ornamental gardens. Many visitors arrive expecting a formal royal garden. Instead, they discover something far more personal.
The Savill Garden was commissioned by King George V and created by renowned horticulturist Sir Eric Savill in 1932. Today, nearly a century later, it remains one of the most celebrated gardens in the country, combining woodland, rare plants, seasonal displays, and innovative design across thirty-five acres.
For garden lovers, it is a destination in its own right. For those exploring Windsor, it offers a quieter glimpse into the royal landscape.
Who Was Sir Eric Savill?
Sir Eric Savill arrived at Windsor Great Park in 1930 as Deputy Surveyor of Crown Lands.
While exploring the estate, he discovered an area fed by natural springs and streams. Most people saw boggy ground.
Savill saw opportunity. With the support of King George V and Queen Mary, he began creating what was originally known as "The Bog Garden", carefully working with the natural landscape rather than imposing a formal design upon it.
His philosophy was simple:
Create beautiful gardens that feel as though they belong naturally within the landscape.
That principle continues to shape the garden today.
A Garden for Every Season
Unlike many gardens that peak for only a few weeks each year, The Savill Garden was designed to offer interest throughout the seasons.
Spring brings magnificent magnolias, camellias, azaleas and flowering cherries.
Summer introduces colourful borders, roses and woodland displays.
Autumn transforms the garden with rich golds, oranges and reds from unusual trees collected from around the world.
Even winter offers structure, texture and colour through bark, evergreens and carefully planned planting schemes.
Every visit reveals something different.
The Rose Garden
One of the most admired areas within The Savill Garden is the Rose Garden.
Reimagined and officially opened by Queen Elizabeth II in 2010, the garden combines traditional roses with contemporary planting design and elevated walkways that provide views across the displays.
At its peak, the fragrance alone makes it worth visiting.
Plants from Around the World
One of Sir Eric Savill's great achievements was introducing plants from across the globe while ensuring they felt at home within the Windsor landscape.
Today visitors encounter collections from New Zealand, North America, Asia and Europe alongside native British species.
The result is a garden that feels both international and unmistakably English.
It reflects Windsor itself: rooted in tradition yet connected to the wider world.
A Living Collection
The Savill Garden is not a museum.
It is a living collection.
New plants continue to be introduced, tested and cultivated. Rare specimens grow alongside long-established favourites, ensuring the garden evolves while remaining true to Eric Savill's original vision.
This constant evolution is one reason many visitors return year after year.
No two seasons are ever quite the same.
The Savill Garden Today
Nearly one hundred years after its creation, The Savill Garden remains one of the Crown Estate's greatest horticultural treasures.
It attracts gardeners, photographers, families and nature lovers from around the world.
Yet despite its international reputation, there are still quiet corners where you can sit beside running water, listen to birdsong and feel entirely removed from modern life.
In a landscape often defined by castles, ceremony and royal history, The Savill Garden reminds us that some of Windsor's greatest treasures are grown rather than built.
And perhaps that was Sir Eric Savill's greatest achievement of all.
Commission your Windsor Visit or Event
Every visit begins with a conversation, where we take time to understand what has brought you to Windsor and how you would like the day to unfold.
From there, your visit is carefully shaped with attention to pace, place, heritage, and hospitality.
‘“Absolutely everything was perfect and beyond my expectations.
It was relaxing, informative and magical."
