Finest gardens to visit
The finest gardens in Britain, Ireland and beyond.
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The exotic brilliance of Tremenheere Sculpture Gardens, a Cornwall gem with 'one of the best views in England'Created over 25 years, Tremenheere's 20-acre hillside garden brilliantly succeeds in its makers’ aim of providing a haven far away from cares and worry, discovers James Alexander-Sinclair. Photographs by Mimi Connolly.
By Country Life Published
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Mansard House: The spectacular garden that doubles as a plant laboratory for a Chelsea gold medallistCatharine Howard visits the gardens of Mansard House in Bardwell, Suffolk, the home of award-winning garden designer Tom Hoblyn and his wife Mary, who use it as their plant laboratory. Photographs by Richard Bloom.
By Country Life Published
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The gardens at Kestle Barton: A landscape of creeks and fields married to an award-winning galleryCaroline Donald visits the garden at Kestle Barton Gallery, near Helford, Cornwall, a garden that marries an award-winning art gallery with a landscape of creeks and fields. Photographs by Mark Bolton.
By Caroline Donald Published
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Folly Farm gardens, Berkshire: A masterclass in maintaining an historic gardenAfter decades of thoughtful restoration, the gardens at Folly Farm in Sulhamstead, Berkshire, blend historic and contemporary planting, finds Tiffany Daneff. Pictures by Jason Ingram.
By Tiffany Daneff Published
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The gardens at Ready Token, Gloucestershire: The new, gentler blueprint for rewilding that's yielding spectacular resultsRetaining the Arts-and-Crafts elements of a 1920s garden, the owners have added a sympathetic new terrace, as well as returning the surrounding fields to meadow, finds George Plumptre. Photos by Mimi Connolly.
By George Plumptre Published
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How Country Life helped change the face of modern gardeningGeorge Plumptre examines how Country Life championed the marriage of formal design with natural planting, changing the garden forever.
By George Plumptre Published
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Coton Manor Garden: The symphony of colour where flamingos mix with flowers, voted Britain's best gardenFlamingos may draw the crowds, but it is the brilliant flower borders that keep people coming back to Coton Manor Garden, the wonderful space at the home of Ian and Susie Pasley-Tyler, says Tiffany Daneff. Photos by Clive Nichols.
By Tiffany Daneff Published
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Copyhold Hollow: The 16th century house with a 1,000-year-old hedge — and a 21st century gardenWhen Frances Druce took over Copyhold Hollow — in the High Weald, West Sussex — this 16th-century house with its ancient box hedge had no garden to speak of. Undeterred, she built one herself, reveals Annie Gatti. Photographs by Mimi Connolly.
By Annie Gatti Published
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Eythrope's extraordinary snowdrops, and more winter treasures galoreNowhere else can gardeners see rare named snowdrops growing in such measureless drifts as in the Rothschilds’ private garden at Eythrope in Buckinghamshire, finds Mary Keen. Photographs by Clive Nichols.
By Mary Keen Published
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Morton Hall: The magnificent garden that gives an illusion of effortlessness amid the silent winter airAll looks peaceful at Morton Hall, Worcestershire, but key tasks will be tackled in winter to ensure that, come spring, the garden is ready to burst into life, says Tiffany Daneff. Photographs by Clive Nichols.
By Tiffany Daneff Published
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Gordon Castle named Historic Houses Garden of the Year 2021Gordon Castle has become the first Scottish garden ever to win Historic Houses' prestigious Garden of the Year award.
By Toby Keel Published
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The gardens at East Ruston: 'It's not simply good, it is a dose of pure joy'Every area of this lush and exuberant garden of East Ruston Old Vicarage, near Norwich in Norfolk, is planted to give three seasons from each plot and, says Tilly Ware, a day’s visit will only scratch the surface. Photographs by Richard Bloom.
By Tilly Ware Published
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In Focus: How an amateur gardener created Sissinghurst, one of the most influential gardens ever made'No garden had greater influence in the second half of the 20th century' according to John Sales, the National Trust's former head gardener. Jack Watkins tells the tale of Vita Sackville-West's momumental achievements in creating the gardens at Sissinghurst.
By Jack Watkins Published
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Chettle House Gardens: A special place, a fascinating history, and gardens that become softer and more romantic with every passing yearHidden by gentle neglect and revealed by research, the remarkably intact 18th-century garden of Chettle House, Dorset, has been brilliantly reinterpreted by landscape designer Pip Morrison. Christopher Stocks paid a visit; photographs by Clive Nichols.
By Country Life Published
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Hopetoun House: Wall-to-wall brilliance in an extraordinary 12-acre former kitchen garden, and an inspiration to keen amateurs everywhereInside the early-18th-century walls of Hopetoun House, West Lothian, bold planting schemes and original designs are providing an exciting new use for this 12-acre former kitchen garden, discovers Noel Kingsbury.
By Noel Kingsbury Published
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The gardens at Elton Hall: A 40-year transformation, an 'absolute hell of weeding and mulching ', and more than worth the effortTilly Ware visits the historic gardens of Elton Hall, Huntingdonshire, where much of the distant past remains a mystery, but which, after four decades of care and attention, have been brilliantly transformed. Photographs by Richard Bloom.
By Country Life Published
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Colebrook House: The serene English country garden with a touch of TuscanyFrom the new Italianate walled garden, paths and bridges lead on through the endlessly exciting garden of Colebrook House, Blockley, Gloucestershire. Tiffany Daneff paid a visit; photographs by Jason Ingram.
By Tiffany Daneff Published
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The gardens at The Old Rectory, East Woodhay: The creation of an owner with a designer's eye and a true feeling for plantsApplying many of the same parameters she uses as an interior designer helped Victoria Wormsley in the renovation of the striking walled garden of The Old Rectory, East Woodhay, Hampshire, finds Tiffany Daneff. Photographs by Mark Bolton.
By Tiffany Daneff Published
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New tickets available for opening of Queen's private gardens at Buckingham PalaceLarge areas of the gardens at Buckingham Palace are to be opened freely to visitors for the first time this summer, and due to 'exceptional demand' extra dates have been put on between now and September.
By Toby Keel Published
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The gardens at Holcombe Court, where the team was told to 'plant whatever you like, as long as it's not pink'Restoration of the historic gardens at Holcombe Court, Devon, has been a slow and thoughtful process that harnessed the individual qualities of the entire garden team to great effect. Tiffany Daneff paid a visit; photographs by Paul Highnam for Country Life.
By Tiffany Daneff Published
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Urchfont Manor, Wiltshire: From local council facility to 'inspired contemporary creation'The restoration of Urchfont Manor and its gardens has resulted in an exceptional creation that unites the formal with the informal in a modern garden that nods to the past. Even better, it's now joined the National Garden Scheme; George Plumptre, chief executive of the NGS, takes a closer look, with photographs by Claire Takacs.
By George Plumptre Published


