Gardens of Dorset & Somerset
This trip takes in the heart of the West Country where I live, across the neighbouring counties of Dorset and Somerset. It visits some of my favourite local gardens, from the floral perfection of Batcombe House to the splendour of Abbotsbury, made possible by its coastal microclimate.
About this tour
This is a tour of my own patch. I live in the West Country, and Dorset and Somerset between them hold an extraordinary range of gardens within a small, beautiful area. Rolling countryside, the Jurassic Coast and a patchwork of valleys and market towns give the region its character, and the gardens make the most of all of it.
I love leading this one because it mixes the famous with the personal. There are world-class gardens alongside intimate, plant-led places I know well, and because I garden in this landscape myself, I can show you not just what these gardens do but why they work in this particular soil, light and climate.
Garden highlights
- The Newt in Somerset - a lavishly restored estate with walled and woodland gardens
- Forde Abbey - great borders and water gardens around a former abbey
- Abbotsbury Subtropical Gardens - tender exotics thriving in a coastal microclimate
- Mapperton - a valley garden of terraces, topiary and fine views
- Batcombe House - a plantswoman's garden of floral perfection
- Carey's Secret Garden - a restored walled garden hidden in the Dorset countryside
Destination highlights
- The West Country landscape, from the Jurassic Coast to inland valleys
- Coastal microclimates and the tender plants they make possible
- A mix of grand estates and intimate, plant-led gardens
- Sculpture by the Lakes and other contemporary settings
- Georgian Blandford Forum and the market towns between visits
Interested in this tour?
These tours come round again, and the best way to make sure you do not miss the next one is to join my email list. You will be among the first to hear when new dates are announced, with practical, seasonal gardening from me along the way.
What you'll learn
Dorset and Somerset are a lesson in making the most of a varied landscape. You will look at how coastal shelter and microclimate let gardens like Abbotsbury grow tender exotics, how a valley setting shapes the terraces and planting at Mapperton, and how careful restoration breathes life back into historic gardens. As someone who gardens in this region, I can point out which ideas travel well to a garden back home and which depend on this particular corner of England.
Gardens you'll visit
Beyond the gardens
Part of the pleasure here is the West Country itself: the coast, the rolling hills, the honey-coloured stone and the quiet market towns. Travel between gardens is arranged, so there is time to linger over a favourite border, take photographs, or simply enjoy the scenery and the company of fellow gardeners.
This is more than a getaway, it is a celebration of the beauty and creativity that flourish in this corner of England. I hope you go home with fresh inspiration, new friendships and a deeper appreciation of the gardens that make Dorset and Somerset so special, and a notebook of ideas to try in your own.