House & garden highlights

Berkshire

This beautiful Palladian mansion features in the 2005 film 'Pride & Prejudice'. The interior is filled with fine pictures and furniture and is noted for its unusual Octagon Room. There are 19th-century grounds and waymarked trails in the parkland.

Buckinghamshire

Ascott

A mixture of formal and natural gardens surrounds this Jacobean house, transformed by the de Rothschilds. Marvel at the exceptional fine paintings, oriental porcelain and furniture inside. Then invigorate your senses by wandering in the gardens which contain a herbaceous walk, lily pond, Dutch garden and remarkable topiary sundial.

Claydon House

Extravagance is a byword at this extraordinary Georgian house famous for its rococo interiors, which include the unique Chinese Room. Florence Nightingale was a regular visitor here, and you can see mementoes of her on display.

Cliveden

This spectacular estate overlooking the Thames has a series of gardens, each with its own character. Topiary, statuary, water gardens, a parterre, Octagon temple, woodland and riverside walks all feature.

Hughenden Manor

Home to Queen Victoria's trusted Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli, Hughenden retains many of his personal belongings. There are beautiful walks through the surrounding garden, park and woodland.

Stowe Landscape Gardens

Stowe is one of Europe's most influential landscape gardens. Hidden amongst spectacular views and vast open spaces are over 40 monuments, temples and secret corners waiting to be discovered.

Waddesdon Manor

Waddesdon Manor, Buckinghamshire
© National Trust / Hugh Palmer / the Rothschild Collection

Transport yourself to France without the ferry ride with a visit to this flamboyant French Renaissance-style château. The magnificent interiors contain a world-renowned collection of French furniture, paintings and decorative arts. A vast rococo-style aviary housing colourful exotic birds is just one of the garden highlights.

West Wycombe Park

West Wycombe Park, Buckinghamshire
© NTPL / Andrew Butler

This sublime landscape garden was the heavenly creation of Sir Francis Dashwood, founder of the riotous Hellfire Club. The house has featured in many recent films and television series including The Importance of Being Earnest. Combine your visit with a walk through West Wycombe Village and enjoy wonderful views from West Wycombe Hill.

Hampshire

Hinton Ampner

A great garden of the 20th century; this masterpiece unites a formal layout with informal plantings in pastel shades. The house contains a fine collection of English furniture and Italian paintings.

Mottisfont Abbey

This 12th-century priory is now a handsome house with an interesting collection of modern art. The Drawing Room is decorated by Rex Whistler. The riverside grounds are home to the National Collection of Old-fashioned Roses, at their best in mid-June.

The Vyne

This house and estate, dating back to Henry VIII's reign, reflects changing styles and tastes over 500 years. The Tudor chapel contains extraordinary Renaissance stained glass. The attractive grounds feature one of the earliest summerhouses.

West Green House Garden

West Green House Garden, Hampshire
© NTPL / Andrea Jones

This delightful series of walled gardens was justifiably voted one of the UK's top 50 gardens. There is plenty to admire, from the wonderful colour combinations in the herbaceous beds to the superb ornamental kitchen garden, and an intriguing collection of follies.

Isle of Wight

Mottistone Manor Garden

Mottistone is a garden with colourful herbaceous borders and grassy terraces planted with fruit trees. The tenanted manor house lies at the heart of the Mottistone Estate, which offers delightful walks between the Downs and the coast.

London

Fenton House

This enchanting house contains outstanding collections of porcelain, needlework pictures, Georgian furniture and early keyboard instruments. Outside is a delightful walled garden.

Ham House

One of the grand houses along the Thames, Ham is an outstanding example of 17th-century fashion with lavish interiors. The formal gardens include famous lavender parterres. Ham is reputedly one of the most haunted houses in Britain.

Osterley Park

The interior of this magnificent neo-classical mansion contains one of Britain's most complete examples of work by Robert Adam. The house is set in extensive park and farm land.

Oxfordshire

Buscot Park

If you're passionate about art, this is one hidden gem not to miss. Buscot Park is packed with the fine paintings, from Renaissance to Pre-Raphaelite, and furniture of the Faringdon Collection Trust. The mansion is set in beautiful grounds, so explore the avenue walks, Italianate water garden and walled garden before resting your legs in the swinging garden.

Chastleton House

One of England's finest and most complete Jacobean houses, Chastleton is filled with a mixture of rare and everyday objects, collected since 1612. The gardens have a ring of fascinating topiary at their heart.

Greys Court

This picturesque house, mainly Tudor in style, has a beautiful courtyard and one surviving tower dating from 1347. Outside, are walled gardens full of old-fashioned roses and wisteria.

The golden statue of Venus in the Rotunda at Stowe Landscape Garden, Buckinghamshire

The National Trust

House & garden highlights