Lunch and Fellowship with Sue McNally

The Library invites you to join us for lunch and compelling discussion with Sue McNally, head gardener at Sulgrave Manor, the Washington family’s ancestral home in England. Sue will provide the larger context of Tudor gardens in Britain; describe renowned architect and designer Sir Reginald Blomfield’s work at Sulgrave in the early 20th century; and vividly illustrate this unique property’s garden today. She will also talk about the Manor’s new American Medicinal Herb garden which is currently being designed.

Sue comes from a farming and horticulture background. During her 9 years at Sulgrave Manor, the gardens have greatly improved from being run down and unloved to regenerated with newly created and interesting areas. She lives on site at the Manor where she keeps several bee hives which produce honey and lovely beeswax candles for the shop.

Sulgrave Manor is a Tudor and Georgian manor house, built and lived in by the direct ancestors of George Washington, and located near the town Banbury, Oxfordshire, England. Purchase of the property grew out of the Peace Centenary Committee of 1911 which commemorated the 100th anniversary of the Treaty of Ghent and the ending of the War of 1812, and the establishment of peace between Great Britain and the United States. In 1921 the house was opened to the public by the Marquess of Cambridge and dedicated as “a centre from which sentiments of friendship and goodwill between the British and American peoples will forever radiate.” It is a wonderful example of Tudor design, is open to the public, and is maintained by the Sulgrave Manor Trust for the public benefit.

Click here to learn more about Sulgrave Manor.

This is an exclusive members-only event.

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