Summer gardens to visit

Summer is a great time to visit this collection of stunning gardens

1 BLARNEY CASTLE

Visit the prehistoric Fern Garden, our deadly Poison Garden, and our magical Rock Close. Stroll by the lake, riverside and woodlands or through the dazzling arboretums and herbaceous borders in all their summer splendour. But don’t forget to kiss the famous Blarney Stone! Café and shops on site. Blarney, Cork, Ireland | blarneycastle.ie | +353 21 438 5252

2 MORTON HALL GARDENS

Enjoy strolling through a romantic rose garden, vibrant potager, majestic rockery, and serene Japanese garden, surrounding an 18th-century manor house on a hilltop. Open 11 August in aid of the Royal Shakespeare Company and 1 September under the National Garden Scheme. Worcestershire B96 6SJ | mortonhallgardens.co.uk | 01386 791820

3 THE BISHOP’S PALACE & GARDENS

Over 14 acres of spectacular RHS partner gardens, including picturesque, romantic, formal and Victorian styles, a wildflower arboretum, specimen trees, alongside waterfalls, well pools, a moat with resident swans and a stunning medieval palace. Outdoor theatre throughout August, Rare Plant Fair 19th August. Wells, Somerset BA5 2PD | bishopspalace.org.uk | 01749 988111

4 HAM HOUSE AND GARDEN

Visit Ham House and Garden in Surrey this summer to enjoy our living exhibition in the Kitchen Garden. “Eat your flowers!” will enable you to taste flowers, learn about their nutritional value and then eat more as ingredients in our tasty Orangery café food. Ham, Richmond TW10 7RS | nationaltrust.org.uk/ham-house-and-garden

5 THE GARDEN HOUSE

The Garden House is an exceptional ten-acre garden on the outskirts of Dartmoor in Devon. It was at the forefront of a revolution in naturalistic planting – creating a kaleidoscope of colour that continues to attract visitors from all over the world. The garden is open every day until the end of October. office@thegardenhouse.org.uk | thegardenhouse.org.uk

6 SCULPTURE BY THE LAKES

One of the most beautiful sculpture parks in the UK, which features gardens bursting with colour, pristine lakes and a meandering river, thousands of different types of trees and shrubs, as well as herbaceous plants, bulbs and grasses all interspersed with Simon Gudgeon’s magnificent sculptures. Dorchester, Dorset DT2 8QU | sculpturebythelakes.co.uk | 07720 637808

7 CHENIES MANOR HOUSE

A 14th/15th-century manor house set in award-winning gardens. Permanent herbaceous boarders are complemented by seasonal planting of many different varieties of dahlias for our annual dahlia festival (27 August, tickets online). Garden café, shop, gallery with monthly art exhibitions. cheniesmanorhouse.co.uk | 01494 762888

8 BELMONT HOUSE & GARDENS

Belmont is an elegant 18th-century house, home to six generations of the Harris family. The gardens contain a Pinetum complete with grotto, a Walled Garden, specimen trees and a large Kitchen Garden with Victorian greenhouses, all set in parkland. Gardens open daily. Throwley, Faversham, Kent ME13 0HH | belmont-house.org | 01795 890202

9 POWERSCOURT HOUSE & GARDENS

Set in the wild Wicklow countryside, Powerscourt Gardens, laid out over two centuries, are world famous and a must-see tourist attraction. Ramble through 47 acres of gardens with beautiful views and natural beauty. Take time to smell the roses and stroll the double herbaceous border in these sublime surroundings. Enniskerry, County Wicklow, Ireland | powerscourt.net | +353 1 204 6000

10 WOOLBEDING GARDENS

Visit the Vegetable Garden for fragrant lavender and sweet peas that blend with striking vegetables and fruit then explore the 100-year-old hornbeam tunnel for a secluded experience beside the babbling of the river Rother. Open Thursdays and Fridays, booking is essential to visit this hidden gem. nationaltrust.org.uk/woolbeding-gardens | 0344 249 1895

11 HADDON HALL

Haddon Hall’s magnificent gardens are renowned for their roses, structure and views, and are arranged in a series of terraces, retained by enormous buttressed stone walls that cascade down to the River Wye. Open to the public until October, visitors will be charmed by Haddon’s romantic English garden. Bakewell, Derbyshire, DE45 1LA | haddonhall.co.uk | 01629 812855