Branching out
Discover some hidden horticultural gems, says
For a real “wow” moment, visit this romantic castle standing high above a lake and surrounded by sweeping lawns, mature trees and floral walks.
Talented plantswoman Lady Lavinia Cholmondeley set about transforming the gardens over a 60-year period, and when you wander through the fragrant rose garden and explore the terraces and tranquil lily pond, you’ll see that her green-fingered efforts have paid off. Cragside, Northumberland Home to 19th-century inventor, Lord Armstrong, Cragside is a Victorian house and garden like no other. It was the first house in the world to be lit by hydroelectricity and includes hundreds of Armstrong’s gadgets many of which continue to clink and clatter to this very day.
Head outside to the gardens, where from May onwards Cragside bursts with colour as rhododendrons show off their velvety pink, purple, white and red hues. Once you’ve weaved your way through the paths and tunnels that cut through the rhododendron forest at Nelly’s Labyrinth, be sure to explore some of the largest rock gardens in Europe before crossing an ancient Iron Bridge. The Garden House, Devon If you’re looking for a quintessentially English country garden then this is just the place. Located close to Dartmoor National Park, while away the hours in the Cottage Garden where views stretch across the surrounding countryside, and soak up the heady scents of magnolias and rhododendrons in the Bulb Meadow.
Don’t leave without seeing the Jubilee Arboretum with its glistening lake, cascading waters and bridges. Hidcote Manor Garden, Gloucestershire Tucked away on the edge of the Cotswold Hills, Hidcote Manor Garden is divided up into little “rooms” surrounding a manor house. Built by the horticulturist Major Lawrence Johnston, with the help of 12 full-time gardeners, its glistening fountains, brightly-coloured flower beds, elaborate hedgerows and secret gardens provide the perfect escape from the modern world.
Pick whichever little compartment of the garden matches your mood, and relax as you spot green woodpeckers and listen to the calls from buzzards circling above you. INFORMATION: VisitEngland.com/Gardens