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Avalon

Secluded hillside garden with wonderful views as far as Wales. The lower garden has large herbaceous borders, a sizeable wildlife pond and 2 greenhouses filled with RSA succulents. The middle garden has mixed borders, wild spotted orchids on the lawn, allotment area and a small orchard. The upper garden has a spring fed watercourse with ponds, and many terraces with different planting schemes.

Owner Info

Avalon
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Avalon

About Avalon

Avalon garden is a beautiful and peaceful retreat that is brimming with wildlife. The 2/3 acre garden is situated on a 1 in 6 hill with views of the Mendips, Quantocks, Blackdown Hills and in the distance Wales. The upper terraces are accessed via steep steps and require full mobility whereas the middle and lower gardens are accessible to wheelchairs.
We do not recommend the garden for children due to several ponds and steep terracing at the top of the garden.
In the 1970’s the then owners built an Italian style terraced area in the upper third of the garden, covered with concrete, paving slabs and walls of California block! When those owners moved, a wood was allowed to grow up through this area and this is how we found the top garden when we arrived 2017. Very much the lost garden of Avalon!
We have felled the wood, removed the concrete and paving slabs, reinstated a buried spring fed water course with ponds and rebuilt some of the California block walls as our folly!
The terraces have been planted in different styles in keeping with their environmental conditions including a Gunnera and bog terrace; fern terrace; white terrace; grass and prairie style terrace; dry terrace with bearded irises and Mediterranean herbs. Magnolias, Camelias, Rhododendrons and Cherry trees have also been installed.
In 2022 we installed a dedicated Dahlia bed and started construction on the final third of the upper garden, a shaded woodland walk with coppiced hazel, wild spring bulbs and flowers, plus specimen Rhododendrons; this work is still ongoing.
Extensive replanting has also been completed in the lower and middle gardens with the result that the borders are full of interesting plants.
The ponds and whole garden have a large population of frogs, toads and newts as well as many bees, butterflies, dragonflies and other insects. We are also very happy to have Slow Worms in our large compost heaps and many birds feeding from our dedicated feeding arch.

Location details

Avalon,
Ilminster,
Somerset,
TA19 0PT

Directions to Avalon
From A30 take turning signed to Chillington opp Swandown Lodges. Take 2nd L down Coley Ln & 1st L Moor Ln. Avalon is the large pink house. Parking limited, so please car share if possible.

Avalon openings

This garden has now completed its National Garden Scheme openings for this year.

Accessibility

  • Partial wheelchair access across lower lawns & side paths. Steep slope & gravel paths. Wheelchairs will require to be pushed & attended at all times.
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FAQs

Payment is by cash only. Please get in touch with the owners for more details.

Sorry, there is no available parking for coaches at Avalon at this time.

Sorry, no dogs are allowed in the garden at this time.

Yes, there are various plants offerred for sale at Avalon, please enquire with the owners for more details.

Yes, one or more routes at Avalon are accessible to wheelchair users.

Yes. Avalon seeks to offer a sustainable refuge for nearby fauna and wildlife. These sanctuaries host diverse habitats supporting indigenous flora and fauna and nurturing local biodiversity.