Hemingford Manor was built circa 1130 and is one of the oldest continuously inhabited houses in England. It was the home of the author Lucy Boston from 1939 until her death in 1990. When she bought the property, the land in front of the house was a field. In late 1939 she planted over 200 trees and shrubs and beside the towpath along the River Ouse which borders the garden, she planted a further 100 sweet briar plants, many of which were washed away in the 1947 flood. In spite of her gramophone recitals to the RAF during the war, she found time to plant 8 yew bushes on either side of the house, which became topiary inspired by Levens Hall. They were made into crowns, orbs and the dove of peace to celebrate the Queen's Coronation. Another 12 bushes were planted in the early 1950's with the intention of making them into chess pieces. These now stand in squares of purple-leaved ajuga and grey-leaved stachys to represent the squares of the chess board.

After the war she concentrated on her first loves - old roses, irises and herbaceous perennials advised by Graham Stuart Thomas who was at the Cambrdge Botanic Garden at the time. In his first book there is a photograph of 'La Reine Victoria' at the Manor. During the winters Lucy Boston wrote her books basing her Green Knowe series, now regarded as classics, on the house and garden.