Guildford -- Albury Park

Designed by John Evelyn in the mid- to late 17th century, the gardens at Albury Park owed much to the vision of owner Thomas Howard, Earl of Arundel. Working in the spirit of the Renaissance, Evelyn attempted to create something comparable to the Italian gardens of the previous century, highlighting terraces, water features, and classical sculpture. Two 400-yard-long terraces remain today. The upper terrace includes a semi-circular arcaded bay, overlooking a pool. This bay forms the entrance to a grotto and leads to a tunnel through the hillside. The lower terrace has a central doorway leading to an underground bathhouse. Many changes to Evelyn's original design were made in the 1920s, including draining of a long,rectangular canal below the terraces and the planting of many trees. Albury Park was visited during the Garden Club of America's June 1929 tour to England. A complete copy of the GCA tour itinerary was printed in the Bulletin of the Garden Club of America (Fourth Series, No. 5), September 1929, pp. 6-25.

Persons associated with the garden include: John Evelyn (landscape architect, ca. 1655-1670); and Thomas Howard, Earl of Arundel (former owner, 17th century).