Construction of The Beth Chatto Gardens began in 1960 as a garden attached to the Chatto family home and was land that had previously belonged to the Chatto family fruit farm. It had not been farmed as the soil was considered too dry in places, too wet in others and the whole area had been allowed to grow wild with blackthorn, willow and brambles. The only plants that survive from the earliest days are the ancient boundary oaks surrounding the Garden.The Beth Chatto Gardens comprises a varied range of planting sites totalling five acres. Including dry, sun baked gravel, water and marginal planting, woodland, shady, heavy clay and alpine planting and now include the Gravel Garden, Woodland Garden, Water Garden, Long Shady Walk, Reservoir Garden and Scree Garden. It was the development of these sites that prompted Beth Chatto to write books on gardening with what could be considered as "problem areas" using plants that nature has developed to survive in differing conditions.

Today Beth Chatto continues to work within The Beth Chatto Gardens, write for International and National Press and appear in International Media.

In January 1975 Beth Chatto created a small winter garden at one of the Royal Horticultural Society Halls, London SW1. More exhibits followed and eventually The Beth Chatto Gardens "Unusual Plants" exhibition arrived at the Chelsea Flower Show. Exhibits by "Unusual Plants" were awarded 10 consecutive Gold Medals at the Chelsea Flower Show from 1977 to 1987. Exhibits by The Beth Chatto Gardens can still be seen at The Tendring 100 Show in Essex.

Beth Chatto is the author of many gardening books including an exchange of letters with her friend and fellow Gardener and writer the late Christopher Lloyd.

The Dry Garden by Beth Chatto, published 1978.

The Damp Garden by Beth Chatto, published 1982.

Plant Portraits by Beth Chatto, published 1985, now out of print.

The Beth Chatto Garden Notebook, published 1988.

The Green Tapestry, published 1990, now out of print.

Dear Friend and Gardener; letters exchanged between Beth Chatto and Christopher Lloyd, published 1998.

Beth Chatto's Gravel Garden, published 2000.

Beth Chatto's Woodland Garden, published 2002.

The Damp Garden, new hardback edition with full colour photography published 2004.

Beth Chatto's Shade Garden, previously released as Beth Chatto's Woodland Garden, published 2008.

1987 Beth Chatto awarded the Lawrence Memorial Medal.

1987 awarded the RHS Victoria Medal of Honour.

1987 awarded honorary degree by the University of Essex.

1995 selected to the International Professional and Business Women's Hall of Fame for outstanding achievements in introducing plant ecology to garden design.

1998 presented with the Life Time Achievement Award by the Garden Writers Guild.

2002 awarded the OBE in the Queens Birthday Honours.