A visit to Standen House at the end of April proved to be a very worthwhile visit. The house, located close to East Grinstead, is widely known as an ‘Arts and Crafts’ house and follows the ideals of this movement which was inspired, in part, by the artist William Morris. Morris had a theory that plants should be a continuation of the house. The original owner of the house, Margaret Beale, (and her husband James), was fascinated by plants and very much influenced the way in which the gardens were lain out. The last member of the Beale family to own the house was Helen Beale who bequeathed it to the National Trust following her death in 1972. The gardens, on our visit, were home to a stunning display of tulips and this alone made the visit worthwhile. Being so close to Godstone, it will be interesting to see how the gardens develop through the year.
