From wildflowers to wedding vows: what’s growing at Crumplebury

Meet Andrew Morris, the man quietly making Crumplebury more beautiful one season at a time. We sat down with our head gardener to talk tulips, orchards, and the brand new outdoor ceremony space that’s about to become everyone’s favourite spot on the estate.

Hi Andrew! Tell our readers a bit about yourself…

I’m Andrew, a gardener and garden designer. I work here at Crumplebury and across other venues in the Artemis portfolio. Basically, I get to spend my days making beautiful spaces more beautiful!

What was the estate like when you arrived, and what did you want to change?

When I got here, there was already a stunning wildflower meadow. It’s absolutely spectacular, and for anyone getting married while it’s in full bloom, the photographs are just gorgeous. But I wanted to add seasonal interest, because it matters that couples getting married at any point in the year arrive to something special, not just those lucky enough to book in peak wildflower season.

So I started thinking about what the garden does in January, in October, not just in July. That’s where the trees come in, and the grasses, and the Cornus, which gives you those fiery coloured stems right through winter when most plants have given up entirely. Then, in April, the tulips arrive. Vibrant orange and black, coming up through everything else. They’re going to look spectacular.

And you’ve also expanded beyond the existing garden areas, haven’t you?

Yes, I really wanted to connect the garden on one side of the accommodation to what we already had on the other. So I’ve planted 12 more Jacquemontii trees. They’re a variety of silver birch, and they’re just beautiful. Really elegant, with this striking white bark that catches the light even on a grey winter’s day. Then I’ve punctuated those with three Crataegus Paul’s Scarlet, which is a hawthorn with the most extraordinary deep pink blossom in spring. It flowers in big, fluffy clusters, and it’s just incredibly pretty. Perfect for a country setting. I’ve also planted a swathe of three different coloured Cornus to tie everything together. It’s all about flow, really, making the whole estate feel connected rather than a series of separate spaces.

What are you most excited about right now?

I’m really excited about the new orchard! Crumplebury sits right on the border of Herefordshire and Worcestershire, which is genuinely some of the best orchard country in England. So I’ve planted Herefordshire pears, Worcestershire apple trees, plum trees and a couple of crab-apples, varieties that belong here, that have been grown in this part of the world for centuries. The crab-apples pull their weight too; they’re great pollinators and encourage everything else to fruit well.

The bigger picture, though, is what it means for the food. We’ve always had a kitchen garden here, and the goal is to develop it so the kitchen team are genuinely cooking with produce grown on the estate. Imagine that orchard full of fruit and someone turning it into something spectacular for a wedding breakfast. That’s the dream, really.

Tell us about the new outdoor ceremony space. What have you created there?

So we had this gorgeous circle already on the estate, a wonderful photographic opportunity for couples getting married outside. We’ve built on that to create The Kitchen Garden, a brand new outdoor ceremony space where couples can say their vows under open skies.

It’s completely theirs to style however they like, whether that’s botanical boho, countryside chic or something entirely their own. And at the centre of it all is a moongate, a beautiful circular arch that’s long been a symbol of love, luck and new beginnings. I’ve planted three Prunus Kanzan as a backdrop to it. That’s a gorgeous pink flowering cherry tree, and in spring it’s going to be an incredible backdrop for photographs. Give the trees a little time to settle in, and it’s going to be something really special.

Sustainability is a big focus for us at Crumplebury. How does that sit alongside everything else you’re doing?

It’s really important, and it runs through every decision I make. The orchard and kitchen garden are a big part of that, but there’s also the country hedge we’re putting in. A country hedge is essentially a mix of native British species, hawthorn, blackthorn, hazel, field maple, that sort of thing, all planted together to mimic the kind of hedgerows that have lined the British countryside for centuries. They’re extraordinary for wildlife. Insects, birds, and small mammals all rely on them. We’re putting in 250 different varieties of native hedging, so it’s going to be a proper, thriving habitat rather than just a boundary.

What makes it extra special is the support we’ve had from the owner of Crumplebury, who runs an organisation that works with children facing real challenges in life. Some of those children have been coming along and helping us plant it. To be able to show them why it matters, why the countryside is worth looking after, that’s been a real highlight for me. It’s just lovely.

Finally, what should couples marrying at Crumplebury look forward to seeing in the garden this year?

Come spring, those tulips are going to be jaw-dropping. The cherry blossom will be doing its thing around the Kitchen Garden. And if you’re visiting a little later in the year, the wildflower meadow will knock your socks off as always.

We’re still in the early stages with some of the newer planting; trees need a bit of time to really embed themselves. But the bones are all there, and every season it’s going to get better and better. Crumplebury has always been a beautiful place. We’re just making sure every single corner of it earns its keep.

Explore the gardens for yourself

Curious about The Kitchen Garden and outdoor ceremonies at Crumplebury? Why not come and visit us? We’ll show you around the estate and help you start to picture your unforgettable day here.

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