Keith Walker - Stourhead House And Gardens
16th October 2026
In: News, Members' Articles
Stourhead House and Gardens
With apologies to everyone familiar with this location. In my view, Stourhead, managed by the National Trust, is as photogenic a location as you will find. This is especially true in the Spring when the Rhododendrons and Azaleas are in flower, and in the Autumn when the autumn colours are prolific.
Unfortunately the peak of both seasons can vary by a few weeks, and I have found the updates on the NT website to be optimistic (I guess they want revenue) so some judgement is required.
For the history I quote the NT website. A comprehensive history can be found on the website. This vision of Stourhead was rooted in an emerging 18th-century fashion for gardens inspired by art and a landscape’s natural features. Henry Hoare II (Grandson of Henry
Hoare I who acquired the Estate in 1717) is credited with transforming the Estate. Henry’s own inspiration may have come from multiple sources, such as his travels in Europe, from reading Virgil's poem the 'Aeneid', and the landscape paintings he owned by Claude Lorrain, Nicolas Poussin and Gaspard Dughet.
Partners in design
Henry also made use of talented craftspeople, artists and designers for the house, garden and estate. These included architect Henry Flitcroft, sculptor Michael Rysbrack and painter John Wootton.
It was Flitcroft who designed the famous temple buildings which punctuate the route around the lake. The first of these was the Temple of Flora, erected 1744–46. The Pantheon followed and, lastly, the Temple of Apollo, which took its place high on the hillside in 1765.
The scale and imaginative design of Stourhead make it one of the most iconic English landscape gardens in the world.
I hope the images here, all taken with Leica M cameras, will inspire you to visit.
Stourhead
Azalea
Spring Bloom
Pool of Light
Rhododendron
Spring Colours
With apologies to everyone familiar with this location. In my view, Stourhead, managed by the National Trust, is as photogenic a location as you will find. This is especially true in the Spring when the Rhododendrons and Azaleas are in flower, and in the Autumn when the autumn colours are prolific.
Unfortunately the peak of both seasons can vary by a few weeks, and I have found the updates on the NT website to be optimistic (I guess they want revenue) so some judgement is required.
For the history I quote the NT website. A comprehensive history can be found on the website. This vision of Stourhead was rooted in an emerging 18th-century fashion for gardens inspired by art and a landscape’s natural features. Henry Hoare II (Grandson of Henry
Hoare I who acquired the Estate in 1717) is credited with transforming the Estate. Henry’s own inspiration may have come from multiple sources, such as his travels in Europe, from reading Virgil's poem the 'Aeneid', and the landscape paintings he owned by Claude Lorrain, Nicolas Poussin and Gaspard Dughet.
Partners in design
Henry also made use of talented craftspeople, artists and designers for the house, garden and estate. These included architect Henry Flitcroft, sculptor Michael Rysbrack and painter John Wootton.
It was Flitcroft who designed the famous temple buildings which punctuate the route around the lake. The first of these was the Temple of Flora, erected 1744–46. The Pantheon followed and, lastly, the Temple of Apollo, which took its place high on the hillside in 1765.
The scale and imaginative design of Stourhead make it one of the most iconic English landscape gardens in the world.
I hope the images here, all taken with Leica M cameras, will inspire you to visit.
Stourhead
Azalea
Spring Bloom
Pool of Light
Rhododendron
Spring Colours
Comments
By David Askham: Keith, you are spot-on with your assessment of the photographic potential of Stourhead. There is plenty of scope for sweeping and intimate landscapes. Any season! Thank you for your illuminating article. By Melinda Stone: I haven't visited the gardens there for years, but you've captured the essence of them superbly and whetted my appetite for another visit. By Don Morley: Lovely set of picture Keith, and of a venue my wife Jo and I also both love and know very well So a big thank you from us as you truly have done the National Trust and 'Stourhead' itself due credit By Keith Walker: Many thanks for commenting. Should have mentioned on one occasion visited with Alan Humphries so a good location for a Fellowship meet.