Places to visit

Recommended places to see seasonal plants at their best

Be sure to check opening times and travel restrictions.

Many garden visits will need to be pre-booked. Cluain na dTor Seaside Gardens and Nursery is situated in the wilds of Donegal in northwest Ireland. Seamus O’Donnell is the owner and one of the most knowledgeable plantspeople in the country with an incredible eye for a good plant. The garden is experimental and contains an eclectic mix of plants, including a wonderful tropical garden, and extensive meadows with perennials and shrubs (its name translates as meadow of the shrubs), but planted in a unique and very creative way. The nursery specialises in plants that thrive in coastal locations and are grown by Seamus himself. Ballyconnell, Falcarragh, Co Donegal, Ireland F92 H5W8. Tel +353 (0)87 626 7599, seasideplants.eu.

My sister June Blake’s

Garden has that perfect combination of a superb perennial collection and creative garden design. Many visit in April, when June runs her A Month of Tulips event, and the garden is a tapestry of tulips, but it’s July and August when it is really at its best. This is when the linear beds are overflowing with vibrant combinations.

June has a large selection of plants for sale, all propagated from the garden. When you come to visit Hunting Brook, don’t miss the small detour to June’s; it’s located just across the fields in an old farmyard, a five-minute drive away. Tinode, Blessington, Co Wicklow, Ireland W91 EC90.

Tel +353 (0)87 277 0399, juneblake.ie

Juniper Level Botanic

Garden is attached to Plant Delights Nursery, one of the best nurseries in the USA. It was created by plantsman Tony Avent and the hugely diverse plant collections number more than 28,000 taxa. I’ve had the pleasure of visiting a few times and will never forget the extraordinary plants and at the creative way in which they are planted. 9249

Sauls Road, Raleigh, NC 27603, USA. Tel +1 919 772 4794, jlbg.org

Gresgarth Hall

Gardens is home to garden designer Arabella-Lennox Boyd and her husband Mark. I have visited the garden a few times and love it. My last visit was with 30 other gardeners on one of my garden tours. The garden is one of the most beautiful in the UK and has the perfect mix of good design and an amazing plant collection. Arabella has created one of the finest, private, woody plant collections in Europe. A visit to Gresgarth should be combined with a trip to Summerdale Garden and Nursery in nearby Lupton, where I bought an extensive collection of primulas. Gresgarth Hall, Caton, Lancaster LA2 9NB.

Tel 01524 771838, arabellalennoxboyd. comgresgarth-hall

Tregrehan Garden in Cornwall is the home of plant hunter Tom Hudson and is one of my favourite gardens. It houses one of the most extensive, modern, woody plant collections in the world. Many of the plants have been discovered in the past 20 years and are endangered in the wild.

Tom has an extensive collection of plants in the Araliaceae family, which inspired me to start a collection at Hunting Brook. The Tregrehan plant fairs, which usually take place in June and September, are some of the best in the UK. Tregrehan House, Par, Cornwall PL24 2SJ.

Tel 01726 814389, tregrehangarden.uk