Drama and Beauty in the Gardens of Devon

Set in a beautiful valley in the heart of North Devon, this 65 acre haven of biodiversity has something for everyone. Explore the famous ‘garden rooms’, themed to celebrate the seasons in different planting styles and designs, where the plants are always the star. 

Castle Hill was built in 1730 as Earl Fortescue’s family home. The current custodians are the 15th generation of the Fortescue family to live in the Palladian house. Set in magnificent 18th-century parkland with many original follies, statues and temples, a sham castle and Triumphal Arch. 

Hartland Abbey is a former abbey and current family home to the Stucley family. It is located in Hartland, in a remote corner of North Devon overlooking Lundy Island.  The current owner is Sir Hugh George Copplestone Bampfylde Stucley, 6th Baronet.  It is a fascinating house, built across a narrow, wooded valley leading to an Atlantic cove a mile away, Henry VIII gifted the Abbey to The Keeper of his Wine Cellar, whose descendants live here today.

Docton Mill Tea Rooms and Gardens, a hidden gem in the heart of Hartland in North Devon. Set in nine acres of beautiful gardens surrounding the original working mill and mill pond, the sheltered wooded valley offers a microclimate enabling tender species to flourish. It is nestled in a stunning valley just 1000m from the coast. Originating in the 1930s, the garden faced a period of neglect in the 1970s. The resurgence in 1980 brought about the renovation of the Mill, extensive planting and the creation of a new Bog Garden and borders, accompanied by the planting of numerous trees. 

Marwood Hill Gardens are a private 20 acre garden tucked away in North Devon. The gardens host 3 beautiful lakes alongside tended landscapes and a quaint tea room.