Exmoor Open Gardens and Nurseries

This page gives details of Exmoor Open Gardens and Nurseries, their location, telephone numbers and website links where available.
PLEASE NOTE: as we cannot guarantee that all the information is 100% up to date,
please contact a garden or nursery for opening times, entry fees, etc, before committing to a journey.

OPENING	LOCATION	GARDEN	DETAILS
	UPTON Near Wiveliscombe	Bittescombe Manor	(Mr & Mrs D Wood) 6m N of Bampton, on B3190. On B3227 Taunton-Wiveliscombe rd, follow signs to Huish Champflower. L at Castle Inn, L at B3190 to Upton. 5 acre garden 950ft up on the Brendon Hills. Walled garden with newly planted topiary, pleached lime, shrubbery, large water garden and herbaceous borders. Cream Teas in aid of Upton Church. Adm £plse ring. chd free. Private visits welcome May, June, July by appt. Tel 01398 371240
	MINEHEAD	Uplands	TA24 8DQ (Mr & Mrs Scott) Centre of Minehead Wellington Sq. turn L into Park St (signed Porlock) 2nd right Western Lane. At top turn L. Plse. park in road. 1/4acre gently sloping garden with fine views. Variety of small trees and shrubs surround colour themed herbaceous beds, with lilies, delphiniums and roses. Clematis and honeysuckles on trellises. Low retaining walls with unusual dwarf plants. Narrow paths and steps unsuitable for pushchairs. Adm £plse ring Chd free. (11am-4pm) Private visits welcome by appt: please telephone 01643-704185
APRIL-JULY	PORLOCK	Greencombe	TA24 8NU (Miss Joan Loraine) 0.5m W of Porlock, L off road to Porlock Weir. 58 yr-old garden on edge of ancient woodland, overlooking Porlock Bay. Choice rhododendrons, azaleas, camellias, maples, roses, hydrangeas, ferns, small woodland plants and clematis. National collections of Polystichum, (the Thumbs-up fern), Erythronium (dogs-tooth violets), Vaccinium (blue-berries) and Gaultheria. Completely organic with compost heaps on show. TEA. Adm: £plse ring Over 100 years old free. SORRY-NO DOGS Private visits please ring 01643-862363
OPENING	LOCATION	GARDEN	DETAILS
MARCH-AUG	ELWORTHY	Elworthy Cottage	TA4 3PX (Mike & Jenny Spiller) 12m NW of Taunton on B3188. 1 acre plantsman's garden. Many unusual herbaceous plants. Large collection of hardy geraniums (over 200 varieties); hellebores, pulmonarias, campanulas, penstemons, violas, grasses and plants for foliage effect. Wide selection from the garden for sale. TEAS. Adm: plse ring. Chd free. Nursery & Garden open Coaches and groups welcome, by appt. tel:01984-656427 www.elworthy-cottage.co.uk
OPEN ALL YEAR	ARLINGTON	Arlington Court National Trust	EX31 4LP 7m NE Barnstaple on A39. Nestling in the thickly-wooded valley of the River Yeo lies the 1,400-ha (3,500-acre) Arlington Court estate. At its centre stands Arlington Court, the intimate and intriguing Victorian home of Miss Rosalie Chichester. Crowded with treasures amassed from her travels, her collections include model ships, tapestry, pewter and shells. In the basement, from May to Sept visitors can view the comings and goings of Devon’s largest colony of Lesser Horseshoe bats via the newly-installed ‘batcam’. Arlington’s stable block houses one of the best collections of 19th-century horse-drawn vehicles in the country and offers carriage rides around the grounds. The 12-ha (30-acre) gardens are largely informal, featuring a beautiful Victorian garden complete with conservatory and ornamental ponds leading to a partially-restored walled kitchen garden. Stunning walks take in historic parkland grazed by Jacob sheep and Shetland ponies, leafy woodlands, a tranquil lake with heronry and bird hide, deep forests and stream-fed valleys.
MAR-OCT	INSTOW	Tapeley Park Gardens	EX39 4NT (Off A39 on B3233. ) Near Bideford Large Country House surrounded by 20 acres of mainly organic gardens in 4 distinct themes, with a rich and fascinating variety of flowers, shrubs, veg, and wild life; Italian Terraces, Traditional walled Kitchen Garden, Organic Permaculture Garden and The Lake. Woodland walks. Children's adventure playground (hidden in the Wild Garden). Tea Rooms. Plants sales. Pets, Highland Cattle and Black Berkshire Pigs. Scotts Clematis (RHS Gold medal winners) are based here stocking 500 varieties. Reasonable wheelchair access. Dogs welcome on leads. Tel (01271) 342558
OPENING	LOCATION	GARDEN	DETAILS
OPEN ALL YEAR	GREAT TORRINGTON	Rosemoor Gardens RHS	EX38 8PH 1 mile S Great Torrington on B3220 Stunning 40 acre garden in the beautiful Torridge Valley. Lake, Arboretum, Formal Gardens. For all gardeners from novice to professional, or just for those who appreciate the peace and tranquility of the English Garden. Explorer trails for children. Free Parking area and picnic area. Licensed restaurant, Plant Centre and Gift Shop. Guide dogs only. *Tel* (01805) 624067
OPEN ALL YEAR	CHEDDON FITZPAINE near Taunton	Hestercombe Gardens	TA2 8LG 4m N of Taunton. Follow tourist information daisy symbol. Encompasses over 3 centuries of garden history in 50 acres of formal gardens and parkland. Famous Edwardian gardens designed by Lutyens and Jekyll created in 1904-6, together with landscape garden designed by Copplestone Warre Bampfylde in the 1750's. 40 acres of lakes, temples and woodland walks. Light refreshments and Teas. Adm: plse ring Tel:(01823)413923
OPEN ALL YEAR	DUNSTER, near Minehead	Dunster Castle	TA24 6SL 3 miles south-east of Minehead on A39 Terraces of sub-tropical plants, shrubs and camellias surrounding the fortified home of the Luttrell family for 600yrs; fine views. Self-drive battery operated car available for disabled.
OPENING	LOCATION	GARDEN	DETAILS
Feb - November	SAMPFORD PEVERILL, near Tiverton	Sampford Shrubs	EX16 7EN 6m E of Tiverton. From M5 junction 27 follow signs to 'Minnows' camping site then continue 300 metres up Holbrook Hill (on Holcombe Rogus Rd). A specialist retail nursery growing a wide range of hardy plants. Tel: 01884 821164
	SAMPFORD PEVERILL, near Tiverton	Holbrook Garden	2-acre, 20yr-old S-facing garden. Herbaceous borders look their best in midsummer and contrast with wild flower areas; an organic vegetable garden and polytunnel; woodland garden; national helenium collection flowering on NGS open days during summer. Regional Carlton TV, various local press Tel: 01884 821164
OPEN ALL YEAR	MARWOOD, near Barnstaple	Marwood Hill	EX31 4EB Opposite Marwood Church, 4 miles north of Barnstaple, 0.5 mile west of B3230. 20 acre valley garden created by Dr J.A. Smart. The landscaping is delightful with three small lakes, a large bog garden and a rock and alpine scree. A supreme example of a plantsman's collection of supreme plants; roses (mainly old-fashioned & climbers); rhododendrons & azaleas; plants under glass; daffodils; good herbaceous plants; fine collection of trees; alpine plants; birches; Eucalyptus; camellias; hebes. The National Collections of 'Iris ensata' , tulbahias and astilbes are held here.

HOW TO FIND THE GARDENS: Copy/paste the postcodes given above into the search box at the streetmap website