Coleton Fishacre House was built for the D'Oyly Carte family
between 1925-26. They commissioned the architect Oswald
Milne to design it having only seen the site from their
yacht at sea offshore. The family was famous for its
association with Gilbert and Sullivan and their comic
operas.
The gardens were originally laid out by Rupert and Lady
Dorothy D'Oyly Carte between 1926 and 1948. The garden is
built in a valley down to the sea and there are many mature
trees and perennials with some from tropical or subtropical
origins. The microclimate along this section of the
English coast allows for a wide range of plant life not seen
in other parts of the U.K.
Crocosmia x crocosmiiflora 'Coleton Fishacre'
is named for the garden.
