Summer gardens in and around Hampshire

The sweet fragrance of summer fills the air as thousands of roses burst into bloom at Mottisfont and Hinton Ampner. There's eye-popping colour everywhere you look at this time of year, from The Vyne's magnificent dahlia border of rainbow hues, to kitchen gardens brimming with lush salads and pretty companion planting.

There are plenty of places to sit and soak up the views or relax with a picnic. You'll find cut flowers and plants for sale too. Every time you stop to smell the roses you're helping to support their continued care.

Colourful, climbing roses in bloom across a rose arch in the gardens at Mottisfont, Hampshire

Mottisfont 

Visiting Mottisfont’s famous rose garden in early summer is a ‘must’ for garden lovers. The fragrance and colour is unsurpassable, and extended opening hours give you even more time to enjoy them. As summer continues the herbaceous borders reveal soft blues, pinks, yellows and oranges from geraniums, asters, phlox and more. The adjoining kitchen garden is also full of floral colour, mingling with delicious leafy produce.

Visit Mottisfont's gardens
Verbascum olympicum in July at Hinton Ampner

Hinton Ampner 

In early summer swathes of elegant irises take centre stage at Hinton Ampner, in cool blues, whites, reds and purples. Over 90 varieties of repeat-flowering roses produce delicious fragrance into August and in the walled garden leafy salads mingle with delphiniums, alstroemeria and sweetpeas. From high summer, exotically-coloured dahlias create dramatic impact across the gardens.

Summer splendour at Hinton Ampner
Bright pink dahlia flowers with greenhouse in background

The Vyne 

The Vyne’s summerhouse garden reveals silver fountains of trailing dichondra, underplanted with deliciously scented purple-blue heliotrope. The west garden’s borders are filled with yellow and blue historic flower varieties, and the kitchen garden’s magnificent dahlia border reveals a rainbow-like mix of colours, from soft pastel pinks to vibrant oranges.

Summer delights at The Vyne
Flower-filled garden meadow at Uppark

Uppark 

Perched high above the South Downs, Uppark''s pretty wildflower meadow is the perfect spot from which to soak up the panoramic views over summer countryside. You'll also discover a mini scented garden filled with fragrant garden lilies and philadelphus.

Soak up summer views
A view across a green garden of lawn, with trees, outbuildings and benches

Sandham Memorial Chapel 

You'll find two very different little gardens here, tucked away in the tranquil Hampshire village of Burghclere. A meadow orchard reveals soft grasses, wildflowers and seating beneath its fruit trees. The Garden of Reflection offers pretty traditional cottage garden planting in soft colours.

Discover the garden at Sandham Memorial Chapel