Technically, I was on holiday but, of course, the garden designer within couldn’t miss the opportunity to photograph gardens when the opportunity arose!
The first, Osborne House, a fond favourite of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. It’s set in an impressive 240 hectares.
Whilst I wasn’t overly drawn to the formal landscaping around the house, I did like the walled kitchen garden which was beautifully planted…
Shame we didn’t visit a week earlier, we’d have caught the lavenders in full flower!
Here’s a glorious way to grow vines – with a lovely border underneath of Verbena bonariensis mixed with what looks like either a Phlox or possibly Gaura.
Lots of one of my favourite combinations of blue Agapanthus and old-fashioned roses.
Having the backdrop of such a wonderful old wall certainly doesn’t hurt!
And one always needs a good place to sit and relax. I did rather love the flowers spilling through and around the bench. I must admit I’m not entirely sure what they are. My best guess is a Phlox of some description but I’m not 100% on that. So if anyone knows, please leave the name in comments!
The main house garden wasn’t to my tastes but it’s of its time and still looks impressive with the grand house.
Our next stop was the other side and end of the Isle of Wight – the botanical gardens at Ventnor, which has some of the mildest temperatures during the winter months.
Whilst they can’t grow quite the variety that they do on Tresco, it was lovely to see the large flowering Echiums towering towards palm trees.
Lots of lush, lovely planting, mostly laid out in borders from their country of origin.
If you visit this garden, you have to enter your car registration into the machine at the entrance so that you’re not fined!
It would have been rude not to check out the cream teas – I can highly recommend!
Both the gardens are dog friendly btw!
Where to next?
We had a lovely time on the Isle of Wight and hope to go back next year. Which other gardens should we visit? Please leave your suggestions in the comments below…
6 replies to "2 Glorious garden tours – Isle of Wight"
Hi Rachel – Used to love going to I.O.W as a child. Ventnor garden doesn’t seem to have changed very much but I don’t remember the Osborne House front garden looking like that. I’m sure there was more grass and less topiary in the 1960-70’s
Hi Janine,
It was our first time on I.O.W – we loved it! It’s like how England used to be 40 years ago. I’ll have to take a look and see if I can find some old photos of how it used to be. I think they did a re-vamp in 2016.
Hi Rachel. You definitely need to go back to the Isle of Wight to see Mottistone gardens (National Trust) and walk up the path to see the 6000 year old standing stone that gave Mottistone its name, and the views of sea and the countryside.
The gardens are extensive and a treat for anyone who enjoys plants.
Another favourite garden of mine is Wollerton Old Hall garden in Shropshire with such imaginative planting in each of the garden rooms and a wonderful rill garden.
Thanks, Tessa – that sounds wonderful, we will indeed go and have a look when we go back!
You should visit Mottistone Gardens near Brighstone on the Isle of Wight. So pretty and much more naturalistic than Osbourne House. Also Farringford (Alfred Tennyson’s House and garden) which has little quotes of poetry dotted around the garden. The house is worth a visit too. Do go to both, you won’t be disappointed.
Thanks for those suggestions, we will definitely take a look when we go back!