Late summer gardens to savour

Lead image: Laskey Farm by Liz Mitchell

Although the first blooms of summer are behind us there is still plenty to look forward to with the National Garden Scheme. We have fabulous late summer gardens waiting for your visit. Click the links at the bottom of the page for gardens opening throughout August and September or read on for a taster:

Our CEO, George Plumptre’s top picks:

The Old Rectory, Pulham, Dorset is 4 acres of formal and informal gardens surrounding an 18th century rectory with splendid views. Yew pyramid allées and hedges, circular herbaceous borders with late summer colour. Exuberantly planted terrace, purple and white beds. Box parterres, mature trees, pond, sheets of daffodils, tulips, glorious churchyard, ha-ha, pleached hornbeam circle. Enchanting bog garden with stream and islands.
Opens Sunday 3 August and Thursday 7 August and by arrangement to end-Sept) for details CLICK HERE

Laskey Farm, Cheshire is a 1½ acre garden including herbaceous and rose borders, vegetable area, a greenhouse, parterre and a maze showcasing grasses and prairie style planting. Interconnected pools for wildlife, specimen koi and terrapins form an unusual water garden which features a swimming pond. There is a tree house plus a number of birds and animals.
Opens Sunday 24 and Monday 25 August and by arrangement to 29 August. For details CLICK HERE

Batcombe House, Somerset is a plantswoman’s and designer’s garden of two parts – one a riot of colour through kitchen terraces, potager leading to wildflower orchard; the other a calm contemporary amphitheatre with large herbaceous borders and interesting trees and shrubs. Always changing. Dogs are welcome on a lead. On 14th June Somerset Hardy Plant Society are holding a Plant Fair with many top nurseries selling interesting plants.
Opens 6 Sept and by arrangement to 19 September. For details CLICK HERE

Coton Manor, Northamptonshire is a 10 acre garden set in peaceful countryside with old yew and holly hedges and extensive herbaceous borders, containing many unusual plants. One of Britain’s finest throughout the season, the garden is at its most magnificent in September and is an inspiration as to what can be achieved in late summer. Adjacent specialist nursery with over 1000 plant varieties propagated from the garden.
Opens Saturday 13 September. For details CLICK HERE

More gardens to explore:

EIGHT AUGUST GARDENS

The Hollies, Derbyshire maximises the unusual garden layout and includes a shade area, patio garden with Moroccan corner, cottage border plus fruit trees. A wide selection of home-made cakes are on offer including gluten free, sugar free, dairy free and vegan options. Home-made preserves for sale too.
Opens Saturday 23 August for details CLICK HERE

3 Oakhampton Road, Worcestershire is a garden with a decidedly tropical feel which includes palms from around the world, with tree ferns, bananas and many other strange and unusual plants from warmer climes that would normally be considered difficult to grow here as well as a pond and small waterfall. Not a large garden but you’ll be surprised what can be done with a small space.
Opens Sunday 17 and 24 August and Monday 25 August for details CLICK HERE

146 Mather Avenue, Liverpool opens as part of the Allerton and Grassendale Gardens group. It’s a small tree fringed town garden with two ponds, one for fish and one for wildlife. A large woodpile is left to encourage insects as are the nettles along the back wall. One bed allowed to self seed with wildflowers. No pesticides and only home-made compost used.
Opens Sunday 31 August for details CLICK HERE

22 Avon Avenue, Hampshire is a Japanese themed water garden featuring granite sculptures, ponds, waterfalls, azaleas, rhododendrons, cloud topiary and a collection of goldfish and water lilies.
Opens Sunday 10 August and Sunday 7 September for details CLICK HERE

Charlton Down House, Gloucestershire is an extensive country house gardens in a 180 acre equestrian estate. Formal terraces, perennial borders, walled topiary garden, enclosed cut flower garden and large glasshouse, Jubilee copse and rescue animals provides lots of interest.
Opens Thursdays 14, 21 and 28 August for details CLICK HERE

Fan Cottage, Cornwall is a one acre garden in a stunning setting with views over the Lerryn River. Divided into different parts there is much to interest visitors inc raised vegetable patches, fruit and apple trees, greenhouses, shrubberies and borders, a wildlife pond, and a bonsai display. Plenty of seating and places to relax. Visitors are welcome to picnic or refreshments avail at nearby pub or shop.
Opens Sunday 17 August and By Arrangement, for details CLICK HERE

Henstead Exotic Garden, Suffolk is a two acre exotic garden featuring 100 large palms, 20+ bananas and giant bamboo, some of biggest in the UK. Streams, 20 foot tiered walkway leading to Thai style wooden covered pavilion. Mediterranean and jungle plants around three large ponds with fish.
Opens Sunday 24 August, for details CLICK HERE

Annwyn Arboretum, Carmathenshire is a 10 acre Arboretum (formerly a 9 hole golf course), planted 40 years ago with an extensive collection of common and unusual trees. These include redwoods, southern beeches, limes, handkerchief tree and Magnolia macrophylla. Beautiful views over the Tywi valley with lots of fun things to explore including a treasure hunt. Some uneven paths, so good footwear recommended.
Opens every Sunday in August, for details CLICK HERE

SEPTEMBER SAMPLE

Ryton Organic Gardens, Coventry. Garden Organic’s inspirational and sustainable demonstration garden at Ryton contains a wonderful fruit and vegetable potager, together with several large ornamental flower beds. Packed full of ideas for gardens of all sizes, it features a large glasshouse, polytunnel, composting area, water features, no-dig and container gardens plus two National Plant Collections.
Opens Saturday 6 September, for details CLICK HERE

15 Rothschild Close, Southampton is a small, 8 metre x 8 metre, modern city garden incorporating family living with lush tropical foliage. A large range of unusual tropical style plants inc tree ferns, bananas, cannas, gingers and dahlias. The garden has flourished over the last 8 yrs into a tropical oasis with many plants grown from seeds and cuttings. Tropical plant enthusiasts do come to have a cuppa in the jungle!
Opens Saturday 6 and Sunday 7 September – pre-booking essential – for details CLICK HERE

Highfield Farm, Gwent is a celebration of plants. There are over 1400 cultivars, with many rarities, densely planted over three acres and set within the majestic Monmouthshire landscape. It offers an exuberant display across the seasons, providing an intimate, immersive experience with a diverse array of herbaceous, shrubs and trees.
Opens Sunday 10 August and Sunday 14 September, for details CLICK HERE

Manor Farm, Wimborne, Dorset is a traditional farmhouse garden designed and cared for by 3 generations of the Trehane family through over 100 yrs of farming and gardening at Hampreston. Garden is noted for its herbaceous borders and rose beds within box and yew hedges. Mature shrubbery, water and bog garden.
Opens Sunday 3 August and Sunday 7 September, for details CLICK HERE

Kotimaki, Heathfield, East Sussex is a large creatively planted garden featuring a long double border within yew hedging, rockery, shade garden, exotic garden, pot garden, wildflower meadows, and kitchen garden. Emphasis on continuity of interest via imaginative mixed plantings of shrubs, climbers, perennials, bulbs, annuals and self-sowers; plus a varied collection of wisterias trained as shrubs, on trellis work, and on a pergola.
Opens – pre-booking essential – Saturday 6 September and Saturday 4 October, for details CLICK HERE

Furzelea, Essex is a country garden of just under an acre designed, planted and maintained by the owners over time to showcase the seasons with colour, scent, and form. Paths lead through archways and box hedging to lawns and flower beds amassed with seasonal planting of shrubs, roses, and herbaceous perennials, bulbs and dahlias. Tulips, salvias and grasses of particular interest along with many unusual plants.
Opens Sunday 21 September, for details CLICK HERE

Jervaulx Hall, Ripon, North Yorkshire is an 8 acre garden adjacent to ruins of Jervaulx Abbey and inc Abbey Mill ruins with views of River Ure. Mixed borders and beds, croquet lawn, parterre, glasshouse. A small vegetable garden and fernery. Magnificent older trees and woodland areas with choice trees and shrubs planted in last ten years, inc magnolia, acer, Sorbus and Betula. Growing collection of contemporary sculptures.
Opens Wednesday 17 September, for details CLICK HERE

Explore ALL the gardens:

AUGUST

SEPTEMBER