B

e careful - you can get lost in the maze of pathways at Coleton Fishacre. Although, that’s actually not such a bad thing. Built in the 1920s, the Arts & Crafts home of the D'Oyly Cartes stands in a magical 30-acre garden which changes from woodland and tranquil pools, down to the beach at Pudcombe Cove. If you’d prefer not to get sand in your shoes, just head for the elegant Art Deco gazebo – where you’ll still get superb views out over the Atlantic Ocean.

But the real stars of this garden are the colourful plants. Probably best described as ‘exotic’, you’ll find bamboo, dense clumps of rhododendrons, magnolias, camellias, mimosas and more – most of it the product of former resident Lady Dorothy Carte’s journeys abroad. That, and the Gulf Stream, which makes this sheltered Devon valley so mild. There’s always something sweetly scented growing here, but if you’re after the full blast of colour, then we recommend the summer.