The Italian Garden was designed and built in 1909-1912 by Devon architect Thomas Lyon for the wealthy owner of Great Ambrook, Arthur Graham. Lost to nature for decades, it is currently under restoration thanks to National Lottery funding and a dedicated team of volunteers.

Graham was gay at a time when it was illegal and he built this 4-acre walled garden for entertaining in privacy. He was well-remembered by the local community for his financial and educational support of many of those he met and worked with. In this same spirit of diversity and community our aim is to reinvent the garden in his memory as a sanctuary and place of well-being.

The garden was laid out on land adjacent to Great Ambrook House, where a disused quarry served as the central feature creating an impressive ravine garden known as the Dell. Originally planted as a dry, Mediterranean-style rock garden, it is now partly shaded by mature trees.

We plan to recreate a rockery in the open, sunny areas and add to the diversity of the existing ferns in the more shady areas to increase the horticultural interest of the garden.

Donations of any amount are equally appreciated. To give an idea of scale, the Dell is 30x30 metres in diameter!