Sir Roddy Llewellyn appointed as Design Consultant for Sudeley Castle’s gardens

Sudeley Castle has announced a prestigious addition to their team with Sir Roddy Llewellyn joining the team as  Design Consultant ahead of the 2011 season. Sudeley attracts visitors from all over the world and is regarded as one of the leading gardens in the country. Sir Roddy describes the gardens as ‘ magnificent’ stating that he is, ‘delighted to have been asked’ to become Sudeley’s consultant.
The stunning gardens are the result of the tireless work of Lady Ashcombe who has developed the gardens to world class status, notably winning the HHA Christie’s Garden of The Year Award in 1996 and voted as one of the top gardens to visit by Gardener’s World readers. Working with some of the foremost names in the gardening industry Lady Ashcombe has succeeded in creating the outstanding attraction seen today. Sudeley’s intriguing history is illustrated in the nine Gardens and none more so than the centre piece of the Queen’s Rose Garden, which was designed by Jane Fearnley-Whittingstall an the original Tudor parterre. Other acclaimed garden designers such as Rosemary Verey and Charles Chessire have added their unique visions to these award-winning designs.  Lady Ashcombe said she is, ‘thrilled that Sir Roddy Llewellyn has agreed to come on board to take us on new gardening adventure.’
Having written seven gardening books, reported as a garden journalist and lectured across the country, Sir Roddy will bring his extensive experience to his role as Design Consultant. When discussing his new position Sir Roddy said, ‘the fact that they (Sudeley’s Gardens) already qualify for worldwide fame makes it all the more a daunting task. A visit to the Cotswolds, therefore, would be incomplete without a visit to these gardens. After all, they do constitute a horticultural jewel in the British crown.’ When talking about his inspiration for working at Sudeley Sir Roddy said, ‘it is rare to work in a place haunted by the ghosts of Henry VIII, Elizabeth I, Queen Katherine Parr, Lady Jane Grey and Thomas Seymour, some of the most intriguing Tudor characters in the whole of British history. It was at Sudeley Castle that they lived, frolicked, romanced, schemed and died and now an inspired garden echoes that epoch.’
Plans are in place to launch a new Herbal Healing Garden walk in the summer of 2011, which is being overseen by Sir Roddy. This latest addition will inform visitors on the wisdom of nature and will see hundreds of new plants introduced over the next few years. This is one of many developments that are taking place to solidify Sudeley as the Cotswolds leading garden.