BUDDING BRITAIN
The UK’s gardens are the envy of the world — and these are open from Monday
Nothing beats a leisurely stroll in someone else’s garden. Some of our greatest belong to such bodies as the national trust or the Royal horticultural Society. Many more are in private ownership and part of the national gardens Scheme (visit ngs.org.uk or buy the the garden Visitor’s handbook).
CORNWALL’S FINEST
CLOSE to the King harry Ferry, crossing the River Fal, trelissick snuggles in a romantic landscape. Cornwall’s mild climate and high annual rainfall has resulted in a beautiful garden. outstanding features include the Cornish orchard, summer borders and flowery dells. there are fine views of the Carrick Roads estuary and Roseland Peninsula from the parkland. DETAILS: trelissick, Feock, Cornwall tR3 6Ql. open daily, 10am to 5pm. timed booking is needed for car parking. no admission if car park is full. Adults £8, children £4. Nationaltrust.org.uk/trelissick, 0187 286 2090.
DEVON DELIGHT
KILLERTON’S beautiful park and gardens are set in 6,400 acres of farmland and forest in a rolling Devon landscape. Perennial borders and fine lawns surround the house. Pathways meander past ornamental trees and flowering shrubs. look for the charming, thatched Bear’s hut and underground ice house. DETAILS: Broadclyst, exeter, eX5 3le. open daily, 10am to 5pm. Adults £10, children £5. Nationaltrust.org.uk/killerton, 0139 288 1345.
HOT STUFF
BRITAIN’S hottest garden, Ventnor Botanic garden on the isle of Wight, contains an impressive 33,000 exotic plants. the mild maritime climate makes it possible to feature sub-tropical specimens such as South African Silver trees and the dubiously named Bishop’s Balls plant look out, too for the colony of wall lizards. DETAILS: Undercliff Drive, Ventnor, P038 1Ul. open daily, 10am to 4pm. Adults £9.50, children £6. Botanic.co.uk, 0198 385 5397.
A SUSSEX ROSE
A SPECTACULARLY beautiful attraction, Borde hill garden in West Sussex has colour for most of the year. it features a richly planted italian garden with a large rectangular pool. elsewhere, long borders are planted with skilfully coordinated colours. there are also superb azalea collections and an area planted with 750 David Austen roses. DETAILS: Borde hill lane, haywards heath, Rh16 1XP. open daily, 10am to 5pm. Booking is a must. Adults £9.95, children £6.70. Bordehill.co.uk, 0144 445 0326.
FULL STEAM AHEAD
HEADQUARTERS of Bloom’s nurseries and begun by Alan Bloom in 1953, Bressingham gardens is also home to the horticulturist’s collection of steam engines and working locomotives. there are superb flower gardens, a richly stocked plant centre and famous conifer garden, Foggy Bottom. Don’t miss the island beds, where perennials receive better light and can be viewed from all sides. DETAILS: low Road, Diss, norfolk, iP22 2AA. open daily, 10.30am to 5pm. Adult tickets from £8.17, children from £5.59. Thebressinghamgardens.com, 0137 968 6900.
WOODLAND WONDER
Coton Manor garden is a delightful rural retreat with a formal herb parterre, kitchen garden, water garden and a large, woodland area containing superb
trilliums and other shade-loving plants. there’s also a bluebell wood and extensive, wide terraces which descend to a flowerrich meadow. DETAILS: Coton, northamptonshire, nn6 8RQ. open tuesday to Sunday, 11am to 5.30pm. Adults £8, children £3. Cotonmanor.co.uk, 0160 474 0219.
BOLD BORDERS
CARED for by the same family for 250 years, Arley hall & gardens is famous for the finest double herbaceous borders in Britain. enclosed by formally clipped hedges, the colour schemes are gently controlled with planting designed to provide maximum interest and delight for the entire growing season. in addition to the eight acres of formal garden, there’s a woodland walk and arboretum. DETAILS: northwich, Cheshire, CW9 6nA. open daily, 10am to 4pm. no need to pre-book. Adults £10, children £4. Arleyhallandgardens.com, 0156 577 7353.
YORKSHIRE GRAND
CASTLE howard is famous for its grand landscapes with temples and monuments. But there are also peaceful woodlands and a large walled garden packed with summer flowers in a semi-formal layout. Spacious, with wonderful views and an adventure playground, there’s something here for all ages. DETAILS: york, y060 7DA. open daily 10am to 4pm. Booking required. Adults £12.95, children £8.50. Castlehoward.co. uk, 0165 364 8333.
HORNEL’S SCOTLAND
FORMER home to the painter edward Atkinson hornel, 18thcentury Broughton house has gardens running down to the River Dee. the two-acre spread abounds with interesting features, many reflecting hornel’s fascination with the Far east. there’s a rockery and pond with stepping stones, as well winding pathways — all retaining the somewhat fussy edwardian style. the house contains hornel’s vast library, which includes a large collection of works by Burns. DETAILS: 12 high Street, Kirkcudbright, Dg6 4JX. open from May 1, daily from 10am to 5pm. Adults £8, family £17.50. Nts.org. uk, 0155 733 0437.
WELSH HILLS
EIGHTY acres of fascinating gardens in a scenic hillside setting. Bodnant is famous for its vast laburnum arch and for varied plants grown in terraces on the steep hillside. look for the big Fascicularia — a bromeliad species hardy enough to grow outside in the UK. there’s a fine rose garden and vast, rectangular lily pond backed by an enchanting 18thcentury pin mill. the building was dismantled and moved from gloucestershire to be reconstructed at Bodnant in 1938. DETAILS: tal-y-Cafn, Conwy, Wales, ll28 5Re. open daily, 9.30am to 5pm. Adults £8, children £4. Nationaltrust.org.uk/bodnantgarden, 0149 265 0460.