Goldstone Hall Hotel, Market Drayton, Shropshire
Set among the tranquil North Shropshire hills, Goldstone Hall boasts five acres of lovingly designed gardens, including a one-acre kitchen garden, one of the largest of its kind in the country. Rooms are comfortable rather than luxurious, but many have wonderful views across the gardens, and the restaurant serves up inventive, flavoursome dishes made with the best of garden produce, including some of the 100 different herb varieties planted along the herb walk. This is a classic English escape: play croquet on the pristine lawns and settle in for afternoon tea against a backdrop of glorious herbaceous borders.
Doubles from £170, B&B; goldstonehallhotel.co.uk
Hotel Endsleigh, Devon
A stay at the Endsleigh doesn’t come cheap, but the chance to explore the stunning 100-acre gardens, originally designed by the renowned 18th-century designer Humphry Repton, is one of England’s greatest horticultural treats. Formal gardens open out into a spectacular arboretum, with a picturesque dell, latticed with streams and bridges, alongside a parterre and classic long border. Rooms are the epitome of rustic luxury, with statement wallpapers and vibrant prints, while the restaurant offers everything from hearty breakfasts to indulgent afternoon teas.
Doubles from £240, room-only; thepolizzicollection.com
The Spread Eagle, Stourton, Wiltshire
Surrounded by the pristine grounds of the Stourhead estate, staying at the Spread Eagle means being first through the gates to discover its world-famous landscape garden, dotted with classical temples and follies. The pub itself is an elegant Georgian coaching inn with five characterful rooms, some with sloping floors and low ceilings, filled with items from the National Trust’s antique collection. Perfect for a post-garden refuel, the menu is full of hearty pub classics including ham and eggs and farmhouse pie, with all ingredients sourced from local producers.
Doubles from £130, B&B; spreadeagleinn.com
Allt-y-Bela, Usk, Wales
Home of renowned garden designer Arne Maynard, a stay at Allt-y-Bela offers the chance to immerse yourself in the beauty of the Welsh countryside, as well as Arne and William’s warm hospitality. There are just two bedrooms, both in the medieval, cruck-framed farmhouse, with breakfasts served in the farmhouse kitchen, in the company of Arne’s two dogs, cat and free-roaming chickens (guests are welcome to bring their own pets). The real joy is the garden, slowly developed over the last 16 years, with everything from native meadow planting to clipped topiary and swathes of classic English blooms.
Doubles from £200 B&B (first night, £150 thereafter); arnemaynard.com
Boath House Restaurant and Rooms, Nairn, Scotland
A tranquil retreat near the beautiful bay of Findhorn, Boath House is a graceful Georgian mansion with a delightful walled garden, tranquil orchards and immaculate lawns, offering a real sense of peace and escape. Rooms are deliberately understated, with a mix of vintage and modern furniture and original artworks, while the garden café offers a regularly changing menu of locally sourced fish and meats. A more upmarket restaurant is set to open this year and the hotel runs a programme of short-term residencies for artists and writers, giving the place a pleasingly bohemian feel.
Doubles from £210, B&B; boath-house.com
Hever Castle, Kent
Originally laid out between 1904 and 1908, Hever’s 125 acres of gardens combine ponds, cascades and shady grottos with 5,000 rose bushes, a rhododendron walk and an Italianate garden that boasts William Waldorf Astor’s collection of Italian sculptures. The best way to beat the crowds and see the gardens at their tranquil best is to stay in one of the 27 bedrooms, housed in two wings of the castle: all individually designed, with a plush, contemporary country house feel. There are regular garden events, including tulip celebrations in April and Hever in Bloom in June.
Doubles from £185, B&B; hevercastle.co.uk
Middleton Lodge, Harrogate, Yorkshire
A 200-acre private estate, Middleton Lodge has gradually been reborn over the last 16 years, with the owners transforming the estate, outbuildings and farmhouse into an elegant rural bolthole, with a two-acre walled garden set alongside lush meadows and flower-filled borders. The hotel’s 30 bedrooms have a rustic-luxe vibe, with muted cream décor, and the estate continues to grow and develop: its second restaurant, Forge, opened in February and the first phase of the Forest Spa will open in spring.
Doubles from £208, B&B; middletonlodge.co.uk
Rookwood Farmhouse, Newbury, Berkshire
The charming gardens at Rookwood are the result of three decades of work and planning by owners Rupert and Charlotte Digby, who have created unique themed areas, encompassing everything from exotic and tropical plants to cascades and a woven-willow walk. The four bedrooms are chic and comfortable, with a cosy guest lounge, firelit on colder days, and a heated outdoor pool and terrace for warm summer evenings. Until October, private tours with the owners can be arranged, offering the chance to gain an insight into the planting schemes and design of the parterre vegetable garden.
Doubles from £120, B&B; rookwoodhouse.co.uk
Lords of the Manor, Cheltenham
Originally built in 1649, this classic honey-hued Cotswold manor house is surrounded by eight acres of spectacular lawns and gardens, with blazing perennials, fruit trees, a walled garden and meadow. Rooms are warm but cheerfully unfussy, with a light country-house vibe, and there are two restaurants to pick from in the evening. Book a stay on the last Tuesday in the month to join the ‘Bbehind-the-scenes head gardener’s tour, with plenty of tips and ideas, alongside discovering the garden’s highlights (one hour, £25pp).
Doubles from £240, B&B; lordsofthemanor.com.
The Falcon Hotel, Castle Ashby, Northumberland
Part of the sprawling 10,000-acre Castle Ashby estate, the Falcon is a cosy base from which to explore the lovely 35-acre garden, partly designed by Capability Brown in the mid-18th century. The room rate includes free admission to the gardens, offering the chance to explore the Italianate garden, fuchsia house – home to over 180 varieties – and the flower-rich butterfly gardens, or take a longer walk through the arboretum. Rooms feel wonderfully cocoon-like, with rich fabrics and sleek leather furniture, while the restaurant offers a tasting menu using the best of the estate’s produce.
Doubles from £100, B&B; thefalcon-castleashby.com