Trentham Gardens, Staffordshire

The vast perennial plantings at Trentham, including more than 80,000 in the restored 19th-century Italian Garden designed by Tom Stuart-smith, take on an ethereal beauty in winter. Crisp seedheads and defoliated stems stand out against the formal structure of carefully clipped topiary and swathes of grass, creating a lovely spectacle. With 300 acres of landscaped parkland, gardens and woodland, there is much to enjoy and explore. Open daily, 9am-3pm.tel: 01782 646646; trentham.co.uk