The National Trust opens its gates

This year’s guide features 38 National Trust gardens – more than ever before – giving you 2 for 1 access to some of their most iconic spaces. Mount Stewart in County Down, for example, is worth a visit, not just for its place in Irish history, but also for its beauty. Visit for formal Mediterranean gardens, richly planted borders, and an array of exotic plants. You can save £11 on entry with your 2 for 1 card.

Powis Castle and Garden, where you can save £14 with your card, is also a location not to be missed. The rose-coloured ramparts of this 13th-century fortress tower above the surrounding countryside. Tumbling down from the castle are a series of Italianate terraces. While looking up from the formal Edwardian gardens, you can appreciate the billowing undulations of 300-year-old yew hedges.