Which English Gardens can you visit?
In our English Garden Tour Directory, we show the wonderful gardens that you can visit on your garden tour. There are gardens in a wide range of styles and sizes for you to choose from:
English herbaceous borders
Roses and ancient topiary
Glorious rhododendrons and azaleas
Gertrude Jekyll restorations
Amazing landscape gardens such as Stourhead.
Small intimate private gardens in the National Garden scheme.
The England Garden Tour Directory
Forde Abbey House founded in 1146 as a Cistercian monastery, is surrounded by thirty acres of award-winning gardens with lakes, bog garden, magnificent trees, shrub and herbaceous borders. With formal and informal elements, this extensive garden offers meandering paths and intriguing views. With a spectacular fountain and a vibrant working walled vegetable garden, Forde Abbey is not to be missed. The house is open to visitors.
Many rare sub-tropical and delicate plants thrive in this wonderfully exotic garden located in its own micro-climate near the coast. Lose yourself in the gigantic Gunnera and bamboo plantations that grow along the side of the stream flowing through the garden. Take a break for lunch or tea on the veranda of the tea house, surrounded by the lush greenery of the palms and bananas. It really is a magical place.
Hestercombe is unique in having three complete period gardens. The Georgian landscape, Victorian terrace and the formal Edwardian gardens combine to create one of Britain's premier garden sites widely recognised as being of international importance. The Edwardian gardens are of great significance, being a collaborations between architect Edwin Lutyens and plantswomen Gertrude Jekyll.
The award winning Sir Harold Hillier Gardens is famous the world over. In 1977 Sir Harold left the Gardens under the sole trusteeship of Hampshire County Council. It is now run as a charity under the remit of horticulture, conservation, education and recreation. Among its outstanding features are the splendour of the seasonal planting displays set in 180 acres.
One of the many outstanding features of the the garden is the Centenary Border. Originally planted in 1964 by Sir Harold Hillier to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Winchester plant nursery by his grandfather. It was planted with alternating 22 yard bays, to reflect Sir Harold's interest in cricket.
It was decided in 2010 to develop a more suitable border and infrastructure to open up the border all year round. Centenary Border is now the longest double mixed border in the country and was officially opened by HRH Duchess of Cornwall in 2013.
This magical, romantic, garden surrounds what is said to be the most perfect example of a small classic medieval manor. Many garden rooms, each a garden in itself, are set off the 200 yd yew walk. In addition there is a bog garden with azaleas and drifts of primula, fine trees, cottage garden, courtyards and river walk. A plantsmans paradise and essential part of your garden tour.
This is one of the most distant gardens we visit with a travelling time of approx. 2hrs. Open occassionally throuigh the summer for charity events.
Abbey House was once part of the Benedictine Monastery founded in Malmesbury about 666 AD. The site was cultivated by monks for medicinal herbs and also as the Abbots garden. Since the dissolution by Henry VIII in 1539 it has been privately owned and is now a delight to gardening lovers. There are 2000 roses, 2000 herbs, water features including St Aldhelm's Pool, and much more. Make sure you see the Abbey close by. An unforgettable garden in a lovely setting. Now open occasionally for charity.
Created with imagination and passion by the HRH The Prince of Wales over the last 35 years, the series of interlinked organic gardens reflect his deep commitment to sustainability, as well as a natural artistic ability. As an important haven for a rich variety of flora and fauna, the gardens have been developed to not only please the eye, but sit in succinct harmony with nature.
You can experience the gardens’ seasonal highlights between April and October each year. Ticket numbers are limited so please let us know as soon as possible if you are interested in visiting the garden. Price per person £25.
The Courts garden is an example of the English style at its best, the garden is full of charm and variety. There are many interesting plants and an imaginative use of colour, with surrounding topiary, ornaments and water features. The garden is complemented by an arboretum with natural planting of spring bulbs, a kitchen garden and orchard.
Set amidst glorious countryside along the River Test, this 12th-century Augustinian priory was converted into a private house after the Dissolution of the Monasteries. The key attraction is the grounds with magnificent trees, walled gardens and National Collection of Old-fashioned Roses, at their most fragrant best in mid June - an essential visit on your garden tour.
Tintinhull is a delightful and intimate garden, created in the 1930s and divided into separate areas by walls and clipped hedges. Domes of box line the path leading from the west front of the 17th-century house (not open to visitors) to the different ‘rooms’, each with its own character. Particularly beautiful are the azalea garden, the fountain garden - with its white-flowering and silver plants around a central pool - and the charming kitchen garden, where the paths are edged in catmint and espaliered fruit trees flank the walls.
Mapperton Garden is a romantic Italianate valley garden deep in a lost Dorset combe among tumbling hills and unspoiled countryside. The gardens descend from the great lawn, through the formal topiary down to the valley garden and long pool
Rare, unusual and exotic collection of plants from all over the world are to be found in Knoll Garden. If you want to know how to use grasses in the garden this is the place to visit. The nursery has won many Chelsea Flower Show Gold medals.
Exbury garden is a celebrated landscaped woodland garden overlooking the Beaulieu river. World renowned for its collections of azaleas and rhododendrons, over ten thousand specimens, which at their flowering peak in May are truly breathtaking.
Once the home of medieval herbalist Henry Lyte, this medieval manor house is surrounded by an enchanting garden. The borders are planted with mixed shrubs, roses and perennials. Hidden paths enclosed by high hedges leading to surprise views and occasional glimpses of the house. At the foot of the garden is an orchard.
This Grade I Italian-style garden is famous for its tranquil beauty and was the home of architect and landscape gardener, Harold A. Peto from 1899 to 1933. This unique and romantic hillside garden is characterised by steps, terraces, sculpture and magnificent rural views. The Peto Garden at Iford Manor in Wiltshire won the Historic Houses Association/Christie's 1998 Garden of the Year Award given in recognition of a garden, outstanding both for its horticultural and public interest.
Barrington Court is an enchanting formal garden, inspired by Gertrude Jekyll, laid out in a series of walled ‘rooms’. The garden includes the beautiful White Garden, Iris Garden and Lily Garden. The fascinating working kitchen garden has espaliered apple, pear and plum trees trained along its high stone walls. The 16th-century house was restored in the 1920s by the Lyle family.
The garden at East Lambrook Manor is recognised throughout the world as the ‘Home of English Cottage Gardening’, having been created in the 1940’s, 50’s and 60’s by the late gardening icon, Margery Fish.
Compton Acres is one of the finest privately owned gardens in the South with a unique series of stunning tranquil gardens offering lovely views across Poole Harbour, Brownsea Island, to the Purbeck Hills beyond.
Burrow Farm Gardens
Located in east Devon, with thirteen acres of sweeping lawns and colour themed planting.
There is always something to delight you here, where the lawn sweeps down past the ancient oak to the small lake. From the summer house the vista stretches beyond the gardens over the wider landscape. The colours change throughout the year culminating in a blaze of autumn splendour.
Keyneston Mill
Dedicated to perfume and scented plants, Keyneston Mill is the experimental home of Parterre Fragrances – a botanic garden and 50-acre working estate, where the key ingredients for the perfumes are grown, harvested and distilled.
Cranborne Manor
A magnificent but little visited series of gardens with designs attributed to John Tradescant. Each area of the garden has own character and surrounds Viscount Salisbury’s ancient manor house (not open). You won’t find this garden on other garden tours but it is not to be missed. Delightful tea-room and plant sales area for browsing.
Edmonsham House and Garden
Edmonsham House Gardens has 6 acres of lawns, shrubs and trees and lovely spring bulbs. The fine walled garden has a herbaceous border and gives the keen gardener the opportunity to see organic gardening in action.
Minterne Gardens
Wander peacefully through 20 acres at Minterne Gardens, where magnolias and rhododendrons tower over small streams in Spring, and later, eucryphias, hydrangeas and water lilies provide a new vista at each turn with ducks on the small lakes and cascades.
Sherborne Castle Gardens
Springtime boasts an incredible array of bulbs, summer months bring to life the seductive atmosphere of the garden. The tranquil lakeside walk takes you through a superb collection of trees and plants. The Ginkgo, spectacular Metasequoia and gigantic Cedars are a must for any arborist.
Bishops Palace, Wells
The gardens surrounding the Bishop’s Palace at Wells are a haven of tranquility and peace. Visitors are free to wander over the lawns past flower-beds, specimen trees and shrubs.
Stourton House Flower Garden
A fascinating romantic 4 1/2 acre plantsman's garden where grass paths lead through unique Daffodils, Camellias, scented Azaleas and Magnolias. Visitors will walk under Kiwi laden trees, down delphinium and rose-covered walks, or by pitcher plant lily ponds. There are majestically hedged borders which host dragonflies, butterflies, and birds. There is a ferny secret garden and woodland area with camellias, scented azaleas and blue hydrangeas.
Wilton House
Twenty one acres of landscaped parkland and grounds include an old English rose garden, a water garden and a fine Palladian bridge of 1737 over the river Nadder. Also one of the country's finest stately homes.
Apple Court (closed for 2022)
This lovely garden is composed of a distinct structure of rooms defined by two axes and enclosed by dense hedges. Sharply defined lawns, raised borders and vertical accents of fastigate yews give each area a unique character.
Furzey Garden
The Gardens comprise eight acres of delightful informal landscape with extensive views over the New Forest towards the Isle of Wight. Beautiful banks of azaleas and rhododendrons, heathers, ferns, water garden, the strange bottle brush tree, flaming Chilean Fire trees and many other features.
Spinners Garden and Nursery
On a slope overlooking the Lymington River valley with Azaleas, Rhododendrons, Magnolias, Camellias, Japanese Maples, Hydrangeas, and other rare shrubs inter planted with a wide variety of choice woodland and ground cover plants. Adjoining internationally known nursery.
Bicton Park
Sixty acres of parkland and gardens include Italianate, American, Oriental, Hermitage and Alpine gardens, palm house and specialist greenhouses.
An outstanding example of the English landscape style, Stourhead garden was designed by Henry Hoare II and laid out between 1741 and 1780. Classical temples, including the Pantheon and Temple of Apollo, are set around the central lake at the end of a series of vistas, which change as the visitor moves around the paths and through the magnificent mature woodland with its extensive collection of exotic trees and rhododendrons.