Most of West Dorset’s finest gardens never appear in a guidebook. They belong to private houses, tucked behind hedgerows in villages most visitors drive straight through on the way to the coast. Finding them takes either a very good map — or an invitation. On our tours, we offer the second.

Ashington

The 16th-century home of Julian and Isabel Bannerman — garden designers by appointment to the King, and the creators of the gardens at Highgrove. In his introduction to their book Landscape of Dreams, the King described the pair as “worthy heirs of William Kent, one of the greatest and most creative of early eighteenth century designers.” With towering yews echoing the old church, Ashington’s gardens are in fact brand new — created from rough turf during lockdown as, in the Bannermans’ own words, “a joyous cross between a Kate Greenaway illustration and a medieval Book of Hours, with a nod to Alice in Wonderland.”

Chilcombe

Created by the artist John Hubbard and his wife Caryl, and justly compared to Sissinghurst and Hidcote, the garden at Chilcombe is a paradise in every sense — a series of linked enclosures hidden away in the hills behind Chesil Beach. The main walled garden is divided into rooms by pleached apple trees and sculpted yew hedges, each one inviting you to stop and admire the plantsmanship that went into its creation.

Bettiscombe Manor

The home of designer Jasper Conran, who has given one of England’s loveliest smaller houses a garden to match — orchards, mellow brick enclosures, and broad beds flanking an unforgettable view of the Vale, looking down to the sea. Guests get an exclusive invitation to hear Jasper talk through his design principles and the work behind creating it.

Mapperton

The home of the Earl and Countess of Sandwich, and described as one of England’s finest manor houses. Its grounds are equally remarkable: stunning topiary, a magnificent orangery, a recently restored eighteenth-century swimming pool, and an arboretum with a fine collection of trees and shrubs.

Forde Abbey

Founded in the 12th century by Cistercian monks, there has been a garden at Forde Abbey for over 900 years. Its formal layout began under Sir Francis Gwyn in the early 18th century, with walled gardens and Victorian borders added the following century. For the last three generations the gardens have been in the careful stewardship of the Roper family — in his lifetime, Geoffrey Roper planted more than 350,000 trees on the estate. The walled kitchen garden alone is worth the visit.

The Old Rectory, Litton Cheney

One of Dorset’s outstanding and rarely-visited private gardens. This four-acre hillside plot features a formal garden with a pleached crab tree border designed by Arne Maynard, over 350 rose bushes, a magnificent natural swimming pond, and a walled garden with a more relaxed style of planting.

Manor Farm, Stoke Abbott

Simon Tiffin’s own home, in one of the most magical and secluded villages in Dorset — where guests picnic in the orchard and hear a talk from the poet and author James Crowden. Recently featured in House & Garden magazine, it was something of an Instagram sensation @gtgardentours!

Symondsbury Old Rectory

Not a garden visit but the tour’s own home base — a spacious, 300-year-old Georgian house where guests wake up to the garden every morning rather than merely passing through it. There’s something different about returning to the same garden each evening, watching the light change on it from breakfast to dusk.

Fancy the Cotswolds instead? Read our companion guide, The Great Gardens of the Cotswolds, or see our Dorset or the Cotswolds comparison to help you choose.