10 Years of Warren House

We’re celebrating the opening of Warren House’s Veitch Garden 10 years ago. Commissioned to commemorate the 185 year anniversary of this significant Victorian House and garden and reflecting the history of the famous nursery that was once next door. For us it was a dream commission as it reflected our love of gardens and history.

In horticultural history the Veitch family are significant for their influence in introducing new species to Europe that had been found by a long line of plant collectors that they sent out from the 1820s into the 20th century. People like William Lobb and EH Wilson. The plants and seeds that they collected came back to the UK and went to their nursery in Coombe Wood where the art of hybridising and growing these plants was perfected. You could also visit here to buy the new ‘exotic’ plants that were a signature of empire and colonisation. Many of these plants like Acer griseum and Magnolias you will see in gardens today.

We often see large specimen trees in the area of Kingston, New Malden, Raynes Park and Wimbledon that are old enough to be from that nursery. For example, some of the best Monkey Puzzle trees are found in this area and the Veitch nursery was the first to grow large quantities of these for sale. Indeed, they were first available for sale in the Christmas edition of the Horticultural Society’s (now the Royal Horticultural Society) Garden Journal in 1851. The garden at Warren House has a Veitch border as well as plants that are related to the collectors such as Charles Maries.