The garden at Ascott has always been among its best known and more original features. Leopold de Rothschild was a talented gardener who laid out the grounds of Ascott with the assistance of Sir Harry Veitch, the famous Chelsea nurseryman.

The gardens were a mixture of the formal and informal including the exuberant Venus and Cupid fountains by Thomas Waldo Story. Leopold's Head Gardener, John Jennings, worked at Ascott for 30 years.

The main part of the garden was laid out in the 1902 following Leopold's marriage and was conceived partly as a present for his wife and also as a celebration of their happy marriage. As shown in the motto round the topiary sundial 'Light and shade by turn, but love always'.

George Devey, the architect working on the house, was interested in garden design and played a significant role in the revival of 'Old English' formal gardening. His architectural work in the garden included the Tea House at the east end of the Madeira Walk and the Skating Hut overlooking the Lily Pond.

After the Second World War the more elaborate Victorian bedding out was reduced, some of the topiary removed and many flowering trees added to the garden.

The Sunken Garden