A winning return to Wimbledon

It’s been twenty years since I last stepped through the gates of the All England Lawn Tennis Club. Back then, I queued from the early hours and spent a fantastic day watching matches on the outside courts, including a very young Andy Murray just at the start of his remarkable career. In the evening, I joined the crowd on Henman Hill to watch Centre Court coverage on the big screen, Pimm’s in hand.

Since then my Wimbledon watching has been confined to television, thanks to years of bad luck in the ticket ballot! The chance to return to Wimbledon with Perennial and be treated to a behind the scenes tour was an amazing opportunity.

It was the first Exclusive Garden Tour of the 2025 season and a perfect way to kick the programme off. We were treated to a behind the scenes look at how these iconic grounds are cared for, and the level of skill, precision and tireless hard work involved is truly impressive.

The morning began with a fascinating talk from John Entwistle, Head Groundsperson. If you’ve ever wondered how they keep the courts in immaculate condition, the answer is in the detail: grass cut to exact millimetres, specific grams of rye grass seed per square metre, and a soil structure managed like a science lab. John talked us through the challenges of keeping the courts consistent throughout the tournament fortnight, a careful balance of tradition, innovation and sheer hard work.

Next, Martyn Falconer MHort (RHS), Head Gardener, guided us through the transformation of the grounds beyond Centre Court. Every inch of Wimbledon’s gardens is expertly planned, from beautifully curated borders to perfectly timed displays that shine under the global spotlight. He shared the secret of the ‘Wimbledon Twist’, turning the famous hydrangeas around so their best side is always front and centre!

From Centre Court to the TV studio where post-match interviews are broadcast, we saw it all. One highlight was standing beside Court 19, where the longest tennis match in history took place in 2010 between John Isner and Nicolas Mahut. Lasting an epic 11 hours and 5 minutes across three days. There’s now a 10-point tie-break at 6–6 in the final set of Grand Slam matches!

A cream tea in the Wingfield Café gave us time to relax and chat with fellow guests about their tennis memories and why they support Perennial’s garden tours.

I rounded off the visit in the Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Museum, home to a fantastic collection of memorabilia, including Andy Murray’s Olympic gold medal and Emma Raducanu’s US Open trophy.

Being back at Wimbledon and treated to such insightful talks from Martyn and John, who were so generous with their time, felt incredibly special. I’ll be watching the Championships on TV over the next fortnight with a new appreciation for the passion, expertise and dedication that go into creating and maintaining this iconic setting.

Huge thanks to the Wimbledon Foundation for supporting this unforgettable day and to everyone who joined us. It was a privilege to be part of something that not only celebrates horticulture but helps those working within it.

If you haven’t yet joined one of Perennial’s Exclusive Garden Tours, there are still a few places left on this year’s remaining visits to outstanding gardens across the UK. And if you’d like to be among the first to hear about next year’s events, become a Friend of Perennial to enjoy early access to booking.