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1.

2.
Carpet Patch
3.
Top of the avenue
4.
Outside the house
5.
Wild Flower Valley
6.
The Aviary
7.
Tree Ferns
8.
Badger Sett
9.
Bug Hotel
10.
Bird Boxes
11.
Farmland View
12.
The Stables
13.
My Notes and Drawings
14.
My Notes and Drawings
15.
My Notes and Drawings
16.
My Notes and Drawings
Text only version of page 3. Top of the avenue

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Explorer Trail Guide 1
2 Top of the Avenue
Science - Observe   Record    Respect
Stand at the top of the lawn and look 
1 Carpet Patch
at the Manor
Miss Alice de Rothschild
Miss Alice
“Welcome to my wonderful gardens.
“If you were standing here before my
My name is Miss Alice de Rothschild and I lived in
brother Baron Ferdinand de Rothschild
this house long before you were born.
bought the estate in 1874, you would have 
You are standing on the Carpet Patch which was
seen a very different view. 
where we used to beat the carpets from the House 
As he said, when he first saw it, “there was not a bush to be seen or a bird to 
to clean them. Here you’ll find some useful
be heard” and there was certainly no great house.
information boards with stories about the history
and diversity of my gardens.”
Six years later, with the help of a master architect and garden 
designer and over 100 workmen, he had turned a bare hilltop 
By walking the Explorer Trails, and reading this Explorer Trail Guide, you can discover how 
into a haven for wildlife with formal planting, rare species and 
the gardens were managed and are now a world class centre for conservation and 
splendid specimen trees. My brother built the House for 
protection.
entertaining – his famous weekend house parties. 
Guests played tennis on this lawn and had tea in striped tents.”
Then you can choose to follow two short walks or combine them into one longer
exploration.
Paul Farnell, the present Head Gardener
The first loop, The Aviary Loop, with red signs, is fairly flat and unveils Waddesdon’s
“The gardening year for my team is set by the seasons so it is important to 
conservation approach.
plan ahead. I have to think at least 12 months in advance what bedding 
schemes we will have in the formal gardens and their requirements. 
The second loop, Miss Alice’s Drive, with green signs, is more investigative and is
All plants need water, food and air to exist but how do we help them?
supports some key aspects of the Science Curriculum being taught in primary schools.
But it’s also great fun for anyone!
Lots of research has gone on in the gardens to find the correct plants to thrive on our 
particular soil and to identify the kind of plants Baron Ferdinand used here. 
A big question for us now is how they will cope with climate change in the future.
One of the challenges we face is providing water. Baron Ferdinand pumped water up to
the reservoir hidden in the trees on your right. We get through 250,000 litres of water a 
year, that’s enough to fill a 25 metre swimming pool! And the grand trees you can see here 
were planted 150 years ago. We inspect them regularly and keep good care of them, but 
some are getting weak now and are being replaced by younger, healthier trees.”
When you are ready please find your way to Stop 3. As you walk think about the
variety of trees you see and answer this riddle:
When you are ready, and have finished reading the Information Boards,
“My second is next to the sea and my first reminds us of 
please find your way to Stop 2 on your map.
  blackberries”
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