Top gardens to visit in the South West

Near Torpoint, the garden at Antony is home to playful topiary, intriguing sculptures, fountains and sweeping views over the water. Right now the summer borders are alive with buzzing insects and bright colours.

Glorious Cornish garden with valley views and an expansive estate to explore. The garden features terraces, ponds and orchards with 150 local apple varieties. The herbaceous borders are spectacular at this time of year.

Peaceful and playful valley garden near Falmouth, where big leaves and exotic flowers thrive in the jungle-like lower valley and sun-loving specimens enjoy the upper banks. The wildflowers are over leaving lush greens and long grass which is a haven for wildlife.

An ancient and atmospheric estate with a medieval garden rich in archaeology and wildlife. The Kings Garden is a scented sun trap at this time of year, while the herbaceous borders of the Side Garden (left largely untouched since the 16th century) are full of height, colour and scent.

You'll find ancient woodlands and tranquil riverside paths on Lanhydrock's estate, near Bodmin. The extensive gardens have year-round colour from herbaceous borders and fabulous formal parterre.

Rocky island crowned by a subtropical terraced garden with views of spectacular Mount's Bay.

An estate with maritime views and woodland walks, near Truro. Explore the meandering paths through the garden, leading to exotic plants and herbaceous borders. Summer is when the luxuriant main lawn looks it's best and the deep, richly planted borders are fit to burst.

Sheltered garden bursting with exotic trees and shrubs where you can follow in the footsteps of the 1920s plant hunters. During summer the lush, cool greens of the giant tree ferns and native beech trees blend with pockets of vibrant flowers throughout the garden.

Tranquil small but varied garden complete with Elizabethan knot garden, wild meadow and orchard. The turf labyrinth is 50m wide and 1km to the middle and out again - a great way to let off some steam.

Unexpected jewel on the edge of Exmoor, with pleasure grounds, a Victorian garden and over 20 miles of footpaths to explore, plus the New Wing of the National Trust Carriage Museum now open.

Tranquillity and history meet at this ancient gem in the Tavy Valley landscape, with gardens, meadows, orchards and woodlands to explore.

High above the ancient woodlands of the Teign Gorge stands Castle Drogo. The garden, designed by renowned 20th-century architect Sir Edwin Lutyens, is colourful in all seasons, and there are miles of pathways to explore in the gorge.

A 1920s country retreat complete with luxuriant garden by the sea in South Devon. Nestled in a coastal valley, this RHS accredited garden is filled with colour and exotic planting.

At Greenway, walled gardens, river views and romantic woodland combine to make up 'The loveliest place in the world' in the words of Agatha Christie.

A glorious landscape garden surrounded by parkland, a stone's throw from Exeter.

A great post-war garden with one of the finest and most varied plant collections in the country, and 19th-century parkland near Tiverton.

The deepest river gorge in the South West, with 30m high waterfall, Lydofrd Gorge gorge is filled with wildlife, plants and trees that enchant the senses.

A hidden paradise of subtropical gardens, Overbeck's is tucked away on the cliffs above Salcombe. The garden is bursting with colour, filled with exotic and rare plants and surprises round every corner.

Rolling landscape park on the outskirts of Plymouth with riverside and woodland walks, and garden with follies, beautiful shrubberies and imposing specimen trees.

Famous for red squirrels, wildlife and Scouting, Brownsea Island is dramatically located in Poole Harbour, with views across to the Purbeck Hills. Thriving habitats including woodland, heathland and a lagoon create a unique haven for wildlife.

Now a romantic ruin, this fairy-tale fortress in an evocative survivor with 1000 years of history. Fallen walls and secret places tell tales of treachery and treason. Panoramic views across the Purbeck countryside

There are sweeping lawns, a Japanese Garden, the woodland and parkland walks to explore, as well as the wider estate and countryside.

Situated near Bath, this ancient parkland is full of magnificent trees and view points with extensive vistas that stretch as far as the Welsh mountains. The garden is home to sumptuous planting, formal areas and peaceful wooded terraces.

Arts and Crafts-inspired garden with intricately designed outdoor spaces in the rolling Cotswold hills. Explore the maze of narrow paved pathways and discover secret gardens, delightful vistas and colourful planting.

Tudor hunting lodge set proudly in an estate on top of the Cotswold escarpment, looking down into the Ozleworth valley and to the Mendips beyond.

The garden of this Cotswold manor house is the perfect place to unwind and explore hidden vistas, quiet corners and unexpected delights.

A rare and beautiful survivor, explore the canals in this Dutch water garden near Gloucester; the only restored one in the country.

Home to a walled White Garden, Rose and Iris Garden and Lily Garden which were influenced by Gertrude Jekyll, with playing fountains, vibrant colours and intoxicating scents.

Dramatically sited on a wooded hill, Dunster Castle is a place of dramatic vistas and subtropical gardens near Minehead in Exmoor. The terraced garden displays varieties of Mediterranean and subtropical plants leading to the tranquil riverside wooded garden below.

An intimate medieval manor house with a beautiful Arts and Crafts garden of 'rooms' containing a magical collection of topiary and herbaceous borders. Tranquil walks on the estate take you along the River Cary.

A beautiful and intimate 18th-century landscape garden in Bath, undergoing a major restoration on its historic dams. Set in a sweeping valley above Bath, it's a place of magnificent views and lawns to relax on, with one of only four Palladian bridges in the world.

One of the few Elizabethan houses in England to have retained its setting within a compartmented garden, Montacute is complete with herbaceous borders, a magnificent fountain, orchard and parkland.

Extensive garden and parkland, just a stone's throw from Bristol. Flower filled terraces, an empty lake, woodland, champion trees and the kitchen garden balance faded beauty and function with an abundance of nature.

Romantic Arts and Crafts garden near Melksham with terraces, topiary houses, gazebo, lily pond, roses and views across the spring-fed fishpond.

Lacock Abbey, a quirky country house built upon the foundations of a former nunnery, located within its own woodland grounds at the heart of a Wiltshire village.

World-famous landscape garden with magnificent lake reflecting classical temples, mystical grottoes, and rare and exotic trees.

Charming English country garden full of variety, with peaceful water gardens, herbaceous borders, organically shaped topiary and an imaginative use of colour and planting.