Abbotsbury Subtropical Gardens

The Abbotsbury Subtropical Gardens lie near the Dorset village of Abbotsbury, a short distance inland from Chesil Beach. Established in 1765, the gardens occupy an 8-hectare site of sheltered woodland and walled enclosures. They are Grade I listed on the National Register of Historic Parks and Gardens, recognising their long cultural importance. The gardens owe their rare plant collection to the Fox-Strangeways family, Earls of Ilchester, who maintained the walled garden after their house burnt down in 1913. The 4th Earl expanded the collection with newly discovered species, creating formal and informal areas plus themed zones for different regions. In 1990 storms destroyed many rare specimens, but younger plants replaced them. In 2010 the fallen trunk of a 200-year-old oak was carved by chainsaw artist Matthew Crabb. The gardens won the 2012 Historic Houses Association/Christie’s Garden of the Year award. Visitors walk shaded woodland paths and enclosed gardens, finding plants that would normally need greenhouses thriving in the mild microclimate. The valley’s shelter and proximity to the sea protect delicate species from harsh winters, though occasional frost still threatens them. Formal terraces contrast with wild woodland glades, while the carving of the ancient oak trunk remains a striking feature. The gardens’ varied zones let visitors compare plants from different continents within a few hundred metres.