Gardens and Parks
There is certainly something sublime about English gardens and country parks. As a nation we are garden lovers, with more gardens open to the public than anywhere else in the world. Find serenity in an 18th century English landscape garden with lakes, sweeping lawns, an abundance of flowerbeds, and often classical-style temples and monuments. The latter-day addition of a café is a very welcome one. Or get back to nature in one of our treasured country parks with miles of marked woodland paths.
Kingston Lacy: an Italian palace in Dorset
Home to a rather fabulous collection that includes pieces by Rubens, Van Duyck, Titian.
Location: Poole, Dorset
Visit a movie star house
Discover Bathsheba's 'Everdene Farm' from Far From the Madding Crowd in Dorset.
Location: Beaminster, Dorset
A botanical treasure trove on the Jurassic Coast
Sniff your way around the award-winning Abbotsbury Subtropical Gardens, a coastal haven filled with rare and exotic plants from all over the world.
Location: Abbotsbury, Dorset
Visit one of Capability Brown’s finest landscapes
Celebrate Capability Brown’s tercentenary as you explore 42 acres of Sherborne Castle's beautiful gardens and soak up the beauty, peace and tranquility of this natural setting.
Location: Sherborne, Dorset
Admire sculptures under blue skies in Dorchester
Get up close to beautiful works of art while exploring the glorious Dorset countryside at Sculpture by the Lakes.
Location: Dorchester, Dorset
October events: Be wowed by Abbotsbury's Illuminate
Discover an illuminated winter wonderland at one of Dorset’s finest annual events.
Location: Abbotsbury, Dorset