Inspiration delivered

A sublime Suffolk retreat, this characterful 16th-century farmhouse sits amid several acres of soothing, varied grounds. Formal gardens fade into the more naturalistic, and age-old stately trees cast pockets of shady respite on summer days. Plants have been added to give successive visual interest throughout the year: a wild garden is carpeted with a consecutive influx of narcissi, primroses and snakeshead fritillaries annually. There’s also a pond at its centre, where the low hum of dragonflies blends with the song of visiting birds.

Geometric forms come alive in the gardens that surround The Ivy, an aptly named and sublime Grade I-listed house in Wiltshire. The grounds were created by Julian and Isabel Bannerman, House and Garden’s ‘Designers of the Years 2023’ and the recipient of King Charles III’s Royal Warrant in 2024. Manicured topiary and arrestingly filled raised beds come together to form a kind of dreamscape – otherworldly and restorative. The home has an orchard, concealed by box hedging, along with a large heated pool, ideal for year-round dips.

The world-renowned Kew Gardens runs parallel to the delightful garden at the rear of this remarkable Georgian house. Taking a leaf (or two) out of the infamous gardens’ book, there’s a spectacular variety of plants: powder-blue ceanothus mingle with hardy perennials including honeysuckle, peonies, acanthus and lavender, while structural plantings of bay, hibiscus and an apple tree lend height. A studio at its foot is perfectly poised to take in the view – an inspiring, painterly aspect befitting one of the house’s earliest residents, the artist Thomas Gainsborough. 

Lower Carwood, Cheney Longville, Shropshire

The grounds of this beautiful stone cottage have had time to bed in, having been lovingly cultivated by its current owners. Rich and diverse, they have been divided between beds of meadowland and swathes of lawn, creating a cohesive yet naturalistic set of spaces. The kitchen gardens provide organic vegetables, while apples and plums grow in the orchard; a bountiful spot for the curious homesteader – or the occasional jam maker.

Great Ellingham Hall, Great Ellingham, Norfolk

Ducks (and, in spring, ducklings) glide across the moat that meanders through the grand, seven-acre grounds surrounding Great Ellingham Hall in Norfolk. Other wildlife known to have visited the gardens include pheasants, squirrels and muntjac, drawn to the eclectic grounds with swathes of lawn, clusters of mature trees (including impressive monkey puzzles) and a nexus of outbuildings. Here, there’s something to suit all and any needs throughout the year.

Front gardens, when done well, prove the maxim that first impressions are everything. This home, close to the Peak District, extends a wonderfully warm welcome with its colourful honeysuckle, dusky rose and shrubs that wave in the breeze. Maximalist yet in perfect balance, the front garden also hints at the brilliance that unfolds beyond the building; two and a quarter acres in total, there’s a vegetable plot, an orchard, paddocks and a pocket of woodland.

Utterly mesmerising grounds envelop this handsome, Grade II*-listed home. Divided into several ‘rooms’, the garden has been created to serve varying purposes, both formal and informal, planted and pared back. Among its manifold delights is a rectangular pond filled with koi carp and an antique dovecote tower – believed to be the only extant 16th-century example in Europe. Equally remarkable, is a commanding stone archway at the eastern boundary, installed for Queen Elizabeth I’s visit and arrival at the house in 1591. 

Sophie Sims

Homes

Interiors

In a 1625 tract, the English philosopher and statesman Francis Bacon described the garden as “the greatest refreshment to the spirits of man”. Several hundred years later, the feeling is much the same; the past half-decade in particular has shown us the rejuvenating powers of the great outdoors. Here, we’ve collected some of our most impressive outside spaces, from the restrained to the rambunctious – fruit-filled, floral or otherwise

Great Gardens: seven verdant homes with grounds to get lost in