Important Plants
High Beeches has a plantsman’s collection of rare trees and shrubs which have been sensitively planted to enhance the beautiful Wealden landscape. Many of the mature species rhododendrons have received awards from the RHS.
Colonel Loder was particular in the plants that he included in his plant collection. The collection is still regular added to today. Some recent additions being Rhododendron kesangiae, Saxegothea conspicua, Prumnopitys andina, Juniperus cedrus, Pinus monticola and Metasequoia glyptostroides Gold Rush.
The wildflower meadow is a Registered Site of Nature Conservation (SNCI) and is listed as a People’s Meadow by Coronation Meadows.
High Beeches also holds the National Collection of Stewartia, a genus of attractive ornamental trees.
The blue Willow Gentians, Gentiana asclepiadia, a native of central and Eastern Europe, are naturalised here, the only garden in the UK where it has done so.
Stewartias
High Beeches holds the National Collection of Stewartias. This is a small genus of about 20 Medium ornamental trees, 2 are from the USA and the others from Asia. Members of the Theaceae family, as are the camellias, they have white camellia like flowers in June. They also have attractive bark and good autumn colour. Stewartias are acid loving plants and prefer a semi shaded and sheltered spot where they will flourish.
Gentians
Gentiana asclepiadia are from central and Eastern Europe and are usually to be found in wooded mountain areas. High Beeches is the only garden in the UK where they have naturalised and they fill some of the garden glades with deep blue trumpet shaped flowers in August.
