Historic Gardens

Description:

• You don't need to be a flower nut to enjoy an hour or two at these exceptional gardens. The 4-hectare (10-acre) grounds are uncommonly beautiful, with a mix of formal and informal gardens dating from varied epochs. Set on a gentle hill, the plantings overlook a beautiful salt marsh (now diked and farmed), and they include a geometric Victorian garden, a knot garden, a rock garden, and a colorful perennial border garden. Rose fanciers should allow plenty of time -- some 2,000 rose bushes track the history of rose cultivation from the earliest days through the Victorian era to the present day. A garden cafe offers an enticing spot for lunch.

• © Frommer's 2012

Awards:

Frommer's

•  Recommended 2010