My Favourite Place: Kiftsgate Court Gardens

The first time I went, I left London in the pouring rain but, as I arrived, the sun came out and everything was suddenly bright and rain-washed. I was met by this cascade of beautiful bluebells under a brilliant green beech hedge. It was a heart-stopping introduction.

What I love most is the wonderful position and the way with which it works with the view. It faces south and south-west and looks out towards Bredon Hill and The Malverns. Sitting having lunch on the terrace, you can see through the curtain of Monterey pines and it’s almost like being on the Mediterranean.

The formal garden is laid out on a wedge-shaped plateau and it’s made up of a succession of rooms enclosed by yew and holly hedges – it’s quite complex. There are great beds of perennials, roses and flowering shrubs but, other than the wide grass path, there’s no lawn, which is unusual in an English country house.

I like the fact it very much ploughs its own furrow and that owners Anne and Johnny Chambers are constantly visiting nurseries and updating with new varieties. It isn't a garden that has been affected by the new perennial movement with drifts of plants but remains true to its original style. There are also lots of shrubs and that brings you up short, as well.

In a way, the ‘Kiftsgate’ rose (Rosa filipes 'Kiftsgate') overshadows the other wonderful things about the garden. When it’s in full flower it is an extraordinary sight, but it’s really just a constituent element in a finely woven tapestry.

My favourite part is the Wide Border as there are so many different plants and so many different colours and shapes.

I walk up and down this border every time I visit and see something new. As you move between the various areas, there's a wonderful variation in pace; each bit has a slightly different atmosphere, yet there’s a great sense of continuity.

■ Kiftsgate Court Gardens, Chipping Campden, Gloucestershire, GL55 6LN; www.kiftsgate.co.uk, tel: 01386 438777.