Exmoor Gardens and Nurseries
Open Gardens and Commercial Nurseries around Exmoor in North Devon and West Somerset
| Opening | Location | Garden and Details |
|---|---|---|
| Private visits welcome May, June, July by appt. | UPTON Near Wiveliscombe |
Bittescombe Manor 5 acre garden 950ft up on the Brendon Hills. Walled garden with newly planted topiary, pleached lime, shrubbery, large water garden and herbaceous borders. Cream Teas in aid of Upton Church. Adm £plse ring. chd free. (Mr & Mrs D Wood) 6m N of Bampton, on B3190. On B3227 Taunton-Wiveliscombe rd, follow signs to Huish Champflower. L at Castle Inn, L at B3190 to Upton. Tel 01398 371240 |
| Private visits welcome by appt. | MINEHEAD |
Uplands 1/4acre gently sloping garden with fine views. Variety of small trees and shrubs surround colour themed herbaceous beds, with lilies, delphiniums and roses. Clematis and honeysuckles on trellises. Low retaining walls with unusual dwarf plants. Narrow paths and steps unsuitable for pushchairs. Adm £plse ring Chd free. (11am-4pm) TA24 8DQ (Mr & Mrs Scott) Centre of Minehead Wellington Sq. turn L into Park St (signed Porlock) 2nd right Western Lane. At top turn L. Plse. park in road. Please telephone 01643-704185 |
| APRIL-JULY | PORLOCK | Greencombe 58 yr-old garden on edge of ancient woodland, overlooking Porlock Bay. Choice rhododendrons, azaleas, camellias, maples, roses, hydrangeas, ferns, small woodland plants and clematis. National collections of Polystichum, (the Thumbs-up fern), Erythronium (dogs-tooth violets), Vaccinium (blue-berries) and Gaultheria. Completely organic with compost heaps on show. TEA. Adm: £plse ring SORRY-NO DOGS TA24 8NU (Miss Joan Loraine) 0.5m W of Porlock, L off road to Porlock Weir. Private visits please ring 01643-862363 |
|
MARCH-AUG |
ELWORTHY | Elworthy Cottage 1 acre plantsman's garden with many unusual herbaceous plants. Large collection of hardy geraniums (over 200 varieties); hellebores, pulmonarias, campanulas, penstemons, violas, grasses and plants for foliage effect. Wide selection from the garden for sale. TEAS. Adm: £plse ring. Chd free. Nursery & Garden open. TA4 3PX (Mike & Jenny Spiller) 12m NW of Taunton on B3188. Coaches and groups welcome, by appt. tel:01984-656427 www.elworthy-cottage.co.uk |
| OPEN ALL YEAR | ARLINGTON | Arlington Court
National Trust Nestling in the thickly-wooded valley of the River Yeo lies the 1,400-ha (3,500-acre) Arlington Court estate. At its centre stands Arlington Court, the intimate and intriguing Victorian home of Miss Rosalie Chichester. Crowded with treasures amassed from her travels, her collections include model ships, tapestry, pewter and shells. In the basement, from May to Sept visitors can view the comings and goings of Devon’s largest colony of Lesser Horseshoe bats via the newly-installed ‘batcam’. Arlington’s stable block houses one of the best collections of 19th-century horse-drawn vehicles in the country and offers carriage rides around the grounds. The 12-ha (30-acre) gardens are largely informal, featuring a beautiful Victorian garden complete with conservatory and ornamental ponds leading to a partially-restored walled kitchen garden. Stunning walks take in historic parkland grazed by Jacob sheep and Shetland ponies, leafy woodlands, a tranquil lake with heronry and bird hide, deep forests and stream-fed valleys. EX31 4LP 7m NE Barnstaple on A39. |
| MAR-OCT | INSTOW | Tapeley Park Gardens Large Country House surrounded by 20 acres of mainly organic gardens in 4 distinct themes, with a rich and fascinating variety of flowers, shrubs, veg, and wild life; Italian Terraces, Traditional walled Kitchen Garden, Organic Permaculture Garden and The Lake. Woodland walks. Children's adventure playground (hidden in the Wild Garden). Tea Rooms. Plants sales. Pets, Highland Cattle and Black Berkshire Pigs. Scotts Clematis (RHS Gold medal winners) are based here stocking 500 varieties. Reasonable wheelchair access. Dogs welcome on leads. EX39 4NT (Off A39 on B3233. ) Near Bideford Tel (01271) 342558 |
| OPEN ALL YEAR | GREAT TORRINGTON | Rosemoor Gardens
RHS Stunning 40 acre garden in the beautiful Torridge Valley. Lake, Arboretum, Formal Gardens. For all gardeners from novice to professional, or just for those who appreciate the peace and tranquility of the English Garden. Explorer trails for children. Free Parking area and picnic area. Licensed restaurant, Plant Centre and Gift Shop. Guide dogs only. EX38 8PH 1 mile S Great Torrington on B3220 Tel (01805) 624067 |
| OPEN ALL YEAR | CHEDDON FITZPAINE near Taunton |
Hestercombe Gardens Encompasses over 3 centuries of garden history in 50 acres of formal gardens and parkland. Famous Edwardian gardens designed by Lutyens and Jekyll created in 1904-6, together with landscape garden designed by Copplestone Warre Bampfylde in the 1750's. 40 acres of lakes, temples and woodland walks. Light refreshments and Teas. Adm: £plse ring. TA2 8LG 4m N of Taunton. Follow tourist information daisy symbol. Tel:(01823)413923 |
| OPEN ALL YEAR | DUNSTER, near Minehead |
Dunster Castle Terraces of sub-tropical plants, shrubs and camellias surrounding the fortified home of the Luttrell family for 600yrs; fine views. Self-drive battery operated car available for disabled. TA24 6SL 3 miles south-east of Minehead on A39 |
| FEB - NOV | SAMPFORD PEVERILL, near Tiverton | Sampford Shrubs A specialist retail nursery growing a wide range of hardy plants. Open Wednesday, Thursday, Friday from 1 April to 16 September inclusive. 10am to 5pm 6m E of Tiverton. From M5 junction 27 follow signs to 'Minnows' camping site then continue 300 metres up Holbrook Hill (on Holcombe Rogus Rd). Tel: 01884 821164 SAMPFORD PEVERILL, near Tiverton EX16 7EN |
| APR - SEPT | SAMPFORD PEVERILL, near Tiverton | Holbrook Garden 2-acre, 30yr-old S-facing garden with innovative naturalistic plantings - a wet garden with primulae and iris followed by heleniums, big grasses and echinaceas; a stone garden with a butterfly rich planting of verbena bonariensis, salvia uliginosa and ratibida pinnata together with many pokers and agapanthus; and a developing damp summer meadow with asters, helenium species, lobelia species, purple loosestrifes and persicarias. National TV and several national gardening magazines. Open Wednesday, Thursday, Friday from 1 April to 16 September inclusive. 10am to 5pm Tel: 01884 821164 |
| MAR - OCT | MARWOOD, near Barnstaple | Marwood Hill 20 acre valley garden created by Dr J.A. Smart. The landscaping is delightful with three small lakes, a large bog garden and a rock and alpine scree. A supreme example of a plantsman's collection of supreme plants; roses (mainly old-fashioned & climbers); rhododendrons & azaleas; plants under glass; daffodils; good herbaceous plants; fine collection of trees; alpine plants; birches; Eucalyptus; camellias; hebes. The National Collections of 'Iris ensata' , tulbahias and astilbes are held here. EX31 4EB Opposite Marwood Church, 4 miles north of Barnstaple, 0.5 mile west of B3230. |