Great gardens to visit this summer

It’s almost August and we are smack in the middle of prime garden-visiting time.  But why do we do it? And which gardens do you really rate?  We share some of our favourites, but of course we sisters each have our own agenda………

I have always loved Sissinghurst Garden in Kent.  It was the first place that taught me that you can have more than one ‘area’ in a garden.  Don’t you think that one fantastic reason for visiting any garden is to get inspiration for your own patch?  

It may be a particular planting idea that you could try.  Or a way of using hard landscaping that you hadn’t thought of. Obviously you have to manage your expectations a little – falling in love with a glorious alley of topiarised yews is of limited use on a third-floor balcony.

The most beautiful garden I have ever visited was Ninfa in Italy, but I don’t have a medieval ruined village to work with, so I am trying to adapt the lesson that I learnt from it – that a garden is much more than being just about the fancy plants. One big plus of that visit was being taken round by one of the gardeners – love that (note my big smile in this week’s feature pic) !

I have learned a huge amount from my visits to Great Dixter too, the masterpiece created by Christopher Lloyd and now wonderfully run by Fergus Garrett.  That was mostly to do with how to know about the rules……and then break them!  Ripping out the rose garden and putting a tropical paradise instead, etc. He was so gloriously iconoclastic in his garden writing too, and as you go round the garden you can’t help hearing his grumpy but hugely perceptive words. 

I suspect that my sisters are going to scoff at my choices as usual but it’s okay everyone, I’m thick-skinned……… 

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Yes, Elaine has chosen probably three of the most famous gardens in the world, with impossibly high standards of horticultural expertise and tended by a small army of paid gardeners and volunteers, and notice the oneupmanship she slips in about being given private tours. And as for Ninfa, you’ll need a return flight to Italy and your name on a waiting list for a garden entry ticket for at least two years …. Let’s get back to planet normal.

Down here in the Weald we have some wonderful gardens on erstwhile Victorian Estates full of the spectacular newly-discovered trees and shrubs of the day, such as Borde Hill, LeonardsLea and High Beeches – all well worth a visit.

But I also want to recommend some lesser known gardens in other parts of the country.

The first is a magical garden surrounding The Manor, Hemingford Grey, near Huntingdon in Cambridgeshire, which Louise took me to visit earlier this summer (so I knew it was going to be good!). The Manor was the home of Lucy Boston who wrote the ‘Green Knowe’ series of children’s books, and the garden definitely had that mystical, time capsule feel about it too that only a naturally creative person can achieve. Now beautifully tended and curated by Lucy’s daughter-in-law, Diana Boston, there is so much to describe that I have put it all in its own post, with a link at the end.

My next garden is also attached to a Manor House, this time Iford Manor, near Bradley upon Avon in Wiltshire, where Caroline and I were invited to the launch of the Rose of Year 2023 in the summer of 2022 (Peach Melba – a great little climber!). The garden here was designed by architect Harold Peto and is Grade 1 listed. Its design, statuary and planting are to die for, and I remember having a very nice lunch there too, always important when Caroline is involved.

Lastly a little garden in Warwick which probably has the prettiest setting of any I have ever seen. Nestling in a meander in the River Avon with Warwick Castle as its backdrop, The Mill Garden is a half-acre, terraced cottagey plot that takes you right down to the water’s edge. Another beautiful, privately owned garden that is happy to share its many assets with the public.

This visit, and several other lovely gardens I have visited, was facilitated by the Garden Media Guild, who have very kindly accepted us as members (they even let Caroline in) so many thanks to Sally, Lexi and the rest of the very helpful garden visits team.

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Don’t worry, if you’ve had enough of my sisters’ sombre Bloomsbury contemplation and religious ruinification, we’re going north now and you’ll find the fun-barometer rising.

As you travel up the A1 a visit to Alnwick Castle Gardens is pretty well mandatory.. 

I know, I know, the heart of a keen gardener might sink a little at the prospect of a garden attached to the ‘Harry Potter’ Castle and in truth the frankly amazing water feature, zany mazes, talking trees and vast treehouse restaurant are a little as though Disneyworld had a baby with the Palace of Versailles, but believe me, it’s high calibre fun.

Hugely high, pleached crab apple trees frame squares of wild herbaceous perennials, while bamboo mazes and dense yew hedge ‘walls’ make a perfect setting for games of hide-and-seek which are fun for kids and aesthetically gorgeous for adults.

If you have children, grandchildren or grumpy husbands in tow, this is the one for you!

Pressing north and still on the east coast try Cambo Gardens near St Andrews. Its stunning late perennials make this a perfect time to plan a visit although the fast-flowing stream through its walled garden and carefree sculptures make it a treat at any time.

I’m resisting the inevitable urge to recommend Branklyn Gardens in the centre of Perth but only because while it’s special all year, it’s  most fab-u-lous in spring, so instead I’m going to suggest you head to Abroath.

Turn right at Perth and head to Dundee – taking in the ‘Garden Futures’ exhibition currently on at the V & A Museum in Dundee (until January 2026 – very interesting) and press on for half an hour to Hospitalfield which, at nigh on 1000 years old, well and truly trumps the historical credentials of any of my sisters’ recommendations.

Call me fanciful if you will (I’ve had worse) but the spirit of the Benedictine Monks who built a pilgrims’ hospital here, is rather conjured up by this Nigel Dunnett-designed garden. It’s unpretentious and has a very soothing effect presumably inspiring the creative writers and painters now hosted in the building itself.

I’ve saved the very best to last – Inverewe Garden just beyond Gairloch in the West Highlands. Created in the most unpromising of terrain, it has a wonderful walled garden that curves round its Atlantic bay, while rhododendrons and azaleas abound on the promontory behind making the most of the passing Gulf Stream with a plethora of semi-tender specimens.

And how many other gardens have this on their website: ‘If you are approaching Inverewe from the sea, please call us on 01445 712950 during office hours to secure your berth.’

Now that’s how to do garden visiting!

Have we mentioned any of your favourite gardens to visit? If not let us know!

Louise reckons this shrubby umbellifer is a pollinator’s paradise that will put up with poor soil, drought and salt-laden winds and still look relaxed and airy. No wonder it’s her Great Plant this Month.

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This is the link to Laura’s piece about her visit to The Manor, Hemingford Grey.

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We find the Burgon &Ball perennial spades so indispensable that we’ve even made a video about how indispensable they are! Click on the image below to watch it, it’s very short, barely over a minute.

And you can buy this great garden tool in our shop.

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