Coleton Fishacre garden

A gardener working amongst the exotic plants at Coleton Fishacre — Tender and exotic plants thrive in the garden

The hot garden pictured in the mist at Coleton Fishacre — The hot border in front of the house is filled with red, orange and yellow flowers

The stream in the Garden at Coleton Fishacre, Devon — The garden at Coleton Fishacre is beautifully situated along a stretch of our coastline

A young man looking at a map of Coleton Fishacre, situated in Coleton Fishacre garden — Seemly Hut is the place to go to find out about the history of Coleton Fishacre garden

With a climate as mild as South Cornwall created by the great trees sheltering this garden in a coastal valley, exotic and tender plants thrive in Coleton Fishacre garden. From formal terraces to woodland to explore, this garden is varied and filled with year-round interest, and one of the few National Trust gardens to be RHS accredited.

Seemly Terrace

At the top of the gardens this colourful terrace is a perfect starting point for your exploration. Relax in a bench and soak up the views, and visit Seemly Hut for information and insights into the history of the gardens.

The Rill Garden

The stream, or rill, which runs through the centre, gives this garden its name. The borders are planted with a mixture of hardy herbaceous and semi-tender perennials in soft pastel shades to create a relaxed and dreamy effect. Pastels were the favourite colours of Lady Dorothy, and her room overlooked this garden.

The Terraces

The terraces and walls around the house reflect the lines of the building, and are planted with tender, sun-loving plants. Each terrace has a pool; the upper pool's rounded outline sets off a sculptured otter by local artist Bridget McCrum.

The Bowling Green Lawn

The stretch of lawn next to the house is the Bowling Green Lawn, which is bordered by Wellington's Wall, a south-facing raised bed filled with sun-loving plants such as cistus, romneya, rosemary and guara. In the summer this lawn is the location for outdoor theatre performances.

The gazebo and quarry

Funds raised from the raffle ticket sales last year have allowed us to replace the gazebo roof; by purchasing a raffle ticket from the entrance to the house for just £1 you helped to achieve this. This is a great place to stop and admire the views over the lower garden and coast. The quarry that sits below the gazebo is where the stone for the house came from; it was transported up the valley on a railway track, which you can now see in the kitchen supporting the shelves.

A view over trees, the coast and a rocky island, as seen from Coleton Fishacre garden — The coastal views from the garden are not to be missed

Informal areas

The further down the valley you walk, the more informal this garden becomes. At the bottom is the tree fern glade, where hydrangeas flower in the summer, and through a gate at the bottom of the garden you can reach the South West Coast Path. There is also Paddock Wood to explore, a walk through this wooded area leads to Scout Point, where you can enjoy the best views of the coast the garden has to offer.

Find out more

Every day from Easter to the end of October, one of the garden team leads a free 45 minute walk or 15 minute talk on the garden. Join them from 2pm to find out more about what's in flower and the history of the garden.