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Hillyground Cottage Holidays |
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Self-Catering Holiday Cottages in the heart of the Blackmore Vale |
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Liz Wray and Cath Walker
Hillyground Cottage 86 Newton Sturminster Newton Dorset, DT10 2DQ |
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Contact us: |
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Abbotsbury Sub Tropical Gardens |
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Abbotsbury Sub Tropical Gardens
Filled with rare and exotic plants from all over the world. A mixture of formal and informal, with charming walled garden walks and spectacular woodland valley views. Magnolia walk and viewing point over the Jurassic Coast.
Distance: 37 miles, about 1.5 hours’ drive
Nearby: Abbotsbury Swannery; Abbotsbury Children’s Farm; Chesil Beach, Weymouth.
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Kingston Lacy
Magnificent country mansion, formal gardens and parkland. Outstanding art collection including Rubens, Van Dyck, Titian and Breughel. Japanese tea garden. Woodland adventure play areas for children.
Distance: 18 miles, about 50 mins’ drive.
Nearby: Wimborne Minster, Badbury Iron Age Hillfort, Badbury Rings.
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Stourhead House and Garden
The garden was created in the 18th century, a classical landscape with references to heroes and gods of ancient Rome. There is a very pleasant meandering walk around the lake.
The house is a Palladian mansion, filled with Georgian treasures including Chippendale furniture and fine paintings.
Distance: 16 miles, about 30 mins’ drive.
Nearby: Wincanton Races, Shaftesbury.
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Tintinhull Garden
Created around a 17th century manor house, the garden features small pools, varied borders and secluded lawns, all neatly enclosed within walls and clipped hedges. There is also an attractive kitchen garden.
There is an interesting walk around Tintinhull village, and two pubs serving good food.
Distance: 20 miles, about 35 mins’ drive.
Nearby: Yeovil, Montacute House.
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Others we haven’t visited yet include:
Bennetts Water Gardens (Weymouth) Compton Acres (Poole) East Lambrook Manor Gardens (near Yeovil) Heale House and Garden (near Salisbury) Larmer Tree Gardens (near Salisbury) Lys de Bray’s Garden at Farrs Lodge (Wimborne) Mapperton Gardens (near Beaminster) Mompesson House (Salisbury) Snape Cottage Plantsman’s Garden (near Gillingham)
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The Palladian bridge |
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Above: The Pantheon
Below: Spring blooms |
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Montacute House and Garden
Montacute House is one of the glories of late Elizabethan architecture. Built of local hamstone, it houses fine collections of pictures on loan from the National Portrait Gallery as well as furniture and tapestries. The gardens are mostly formal and there are pleasant walks in the surrounding countryside.
Distance: 22 miles, about 40 mins’ drive.
Nearby: Yeovil, Tintinhull House, Lytes Cary Manor
Website: |
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Flower border and ‘pudding house’ |
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Montacute House |
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House detail |
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Stapehill Abbey and Gardens
The Abbey buildings date from the early 19th century and house the beautifully restored Nuns’ Chapel and Cloisters and the recreated Victorian parlour and laundry room. The Abbey is surrounded by acres of award-winning gardens. In the courtyard there’s a café offering light lunches and cream teas.
Distance: 23 miles, about 40 mins’ drive.
Nearby: Wimborne, Knoll Gardens, Priest’s House Museum, Kingston Lacy.
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Stapehill Abbey |
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Knoll Gardens
Just a few minutes’ drive from Stapehill. Extensive modern planting of perennials and grasses in an informal setting of mature trees and shrubs. Also a Nursery selling a selection of the plants grown in the gardens.
Distance: 23 miles, about 40 mins’ drive.
Website: |