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1. Osborne House - Isle of Wight
The summer residence of Queen Victoria on the Isle of Wight is the perfect holiday spot where immaculate formal gardens roll onto the golden beach.
OsborneOriginal Source: Osborne
A London escape
Queen Victoria bought the estate in 1845 as a quiet escape from the hustle and bustle of London. The gardens are designed to have an Italianate quality designed by Prince Albert himself.
Visitors can easily get to the tranquil garden with a short boat trip to the island.
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2. Ventnor Botanic Garden - Isle of Wight
Viewed from the sky you can enjoy the beautiful coastline of the island, but tucked away on the clifftops is one of the UK's most incredible and unique gardens...
Mediterannean GardenVentnor Botanic Garden
The UK's Hottest Garden
Ventnor is the UK's hottest garden! Due to the unique positioning of the garden, Ventnor is 5 degrees warmer than the rest of the UK.
This means they have been studying the effects of climate change for the last 50 years providing a valuable insight into our future.
LizardVentnor Botanic Garden
They also play host to some unique plants, trees and animals that couldn't live anywhere else in the UK - like these sand lizards which prefer the warm climate of Spain.
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3. Prospect Cottage - Dungeness
You might need a car to get to this remote garden, but it is well worth the trip.
Prospect Cottage is a truely magical space for calm, peace and beauty. It is nestled near the Kent coast in the shadow of a nuclear power plant.
Prospect Cottage from Rear with Plantings and Verticle Timber, Dungeness, Kent (1990/1994) by Howard SooleyGarden Museum
'My garden's boundaries are the horizon'
Prospect Cottage was home to artistic legend Derek Jarman who bought the former fisherman's cottage in '86 and lived there until his death in '94.
The unique landscape with strong, salt laden winds gives the garden its unique environment.
Derek Jarman Watering Raised Bed (1990/1994) by Howard SooleyGarden Museum
'I love that, visually, the garden doesn’t end.’
Derek Jarman
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4. Tresco Abbey Gardens - Scilly Isles
The Isles of Scilly are a beautiful archipelago off the Cornish coast with only 5 inhabited islands - the perfect adventure for the hardy explore.
The Tresco Gardens grow in the grounds of a Benedictine Abbey where the unique climate allows tropical plants to flourish.
Tresco Abbey Gardens (1960) by Gwen Dorrien-SmithGarden Museum
A Tropical island
Don't expect to find the typical English roses, rolling hills and oak trees. Tresco has been home to tropical plants for over 60 years including vast phoenix palms, vibrant echiums and colourful gazanias represented in this painting from the 1960's.
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5. Walmer Castle - Deal
Walmer Castle is a 16th century artillery fort built by Henry VIII in Walmer, Kent, as part of his defenses against a French invasion.
In later years it was home to the Duke of Wellington and now visitors can explore over 8 acres of beautiful gardens (and a few cannons!)
Walmer CastleOriginal Source: Walmer Castle and Gardens
Gardens Regrown
Walmer plays host to many different gardens from formal designs like the Queen Mother's garden to the kitchen gardens.
The gardens underwent a major restoration so you can now re-discover the beautiful spaces as well as the castle itself.
