Essex Parks & Gardens

Beth Chatto Gardens

The Beth Chatto Gardens began in 1960. From an overgrown wasteland with poor gravel soil and boggy hollows it has been transformed into an informal garden harmonising with the surrounding countryside.

Elmstead Market, Colchester, CO7 7DB  Tel: 01206 822007   Email

Blake Hall Gardens  

The 25 acres of beautiful gardens are open from Spring until Autumn. They include :- A sunken garden, herbaceous border, wild areas, tropical house, rose garden, ice house, duck pond, Essex barn built in 1642 and Arboretum.

Bobbingworth,  Ongar, CM5 0DG. Tel: 01277-362502   Email

Feeringbury Manor Garden

Well-established and designed 7-acre garden, mixing formal and informal. Overflowing with plants both common and rare. Former rose bed now new mixed pink, white and mauve bed. Very detailed planting throughout with many annuals and perennials grown from seed by gardener, Ellen Fairbanks-Weston. Wild flower beds designed by Diane Howse. Sculptures by Ben Coode-Adams

Feering Manor, Coggleshal Road, Feering  CO5 9RB Tel: 01376 561946

Gardens of Easton Lodge

Set in 23 acres, the gardens have an Italian section designed by Harold Peto for Daisy Countess of Warwick. In the dovcote one can study over 400 years of history of the house and gardens.

Warwick House, Easton Lodge, Little Easton, Gt Dunmow, CM6 2BB  Tel: 01371 876979

Gibberd Garden

Twentieth century house and garden, designed by Harlow New Towns architect-planner, Sir Frederick Gibberd. Despite his enthuiasm for Abstract Modernism, the garden has an unmistakably Arts and Crafts veneer. The planting design is very good and Lady Gibberd assembled a notable collection of modern sculpture

Gilden Way, Harlow, CM17 0NA Tel: 01279 442112.  Email

RHS Garden Hyde Hall

The Garden contains the National Collection of Viburnum and an attractive plantsman’s garden of eight acres containing a woodland area, spring bulbs, ornamental ponds with lilies and fish, together with a large collection of modern roses and a rope walk of climbing and pillar roses

Buckhatch Lane, Rettendon, Chelmsford  CM3 8ET  Tel: 01245 400256

Saling Hall Garden

A seventeenth century manor house with a garden which has been extensively and skillfully re-planted since 1971. There are woods, a walled garden (dated 1698) a valley garden, a water garden, a rose glade and other compartments. Hugh Johnson, the owner, is known for his books on wine and on gardening. 12 acres

Grat Saling, Braintree CM7 5DT  Tel: 01371 850243