George Plumptre’s favourite seaside gardens

The chief executive of the National Garden Scheme recommends places to visit

Chygurno, Lamorna, Cornwall

Three miles from Land’s End, Chygurno occupies one of the most memorable positions of any NGS garden. Spectacular views over Lamorna Cove are matched by a wonderful array of plants

Slade, Southerndown, Glamorgan

Hidden away in the Vale of Glamorgan, the garden tumbles from terraced lawns down a slope protected by beech woods on one side and leads to the beach at Southerndown, with views across the Bristol Channel to north Devon

Craster’s Hidden Gardens, Alnwick, Northumberland

A trio of small cottage gardens that were once allotments for fisherman’s cottages, planted to cope with challenging conditions and enjoying views to the romantic ruins of Dunstanburgh Castle perched on a nearby headland

Heron House, Aldeburgh, Suffolk

A large garden that balances traditional country style with summer exotics that flourish in the seaside position and sweeping views over the estuary and marshes to the North Sea

Driftwood, Seaford, East Sussex

A beachcomber’s treasure trove: a small garden packed with dense planting that’s enhanced by all manner of ornamental, often eccentric, decoration.

White Horses, Herne Bay, Kent

Dry, windy and prone to prolonged summer heat, White Horses has all the challenges of a coastal garden. Owner Tim Waltham has responded by creating a plantsman’s delight: a small garden filled with suitable, interesting and often unusual treasures

For openings, visit www.ngs.org.uk