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Abbotsbury Subtropical Gardens (Weymouth, England)

After seeing a string of English-style gardens, Abbotsbury Subtropical Gardens provided a welcome change of pace. Located in a sheltered woodland on the Jurassic Coast, this 30-acre garden is filled with rare semi-tropical plants.   As we entered, we were greeted by this little guy (a golden pheasant) - The entry area included a restaurant with a wrap-around porch and a gift shop - Entering the main gardens - This hill was quite a trek - I was out of breath when I reached the top. Once there, you get an overlook with a view of the ocean - This property was once home to a castle that was once a monastery. This is how it looked in 1890 - The gardens were developed by the Fox-Strangways family. Most notably, William Fox-Strangways, 4th Earl of Ilchester, was a diplomat and botanist, who introduced many exotic species to the garden. The genus Photinia stranvaesia was named after him.  In 1899, Lady Ilchester printed a catalog which documented over 5,000 plants in the garden....
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Ashington Manor Farm (Yeovil)


After a two-night stay at The Swan Hotel in Wells, we departed for Exeter. Along the way, our first stop was Ashington Manor Farm, the home of the husband and wife garden designers Julian and Isabel Bannerman. 

Roses are a specialty of the Bannerman's, but sadly, we were too early to see any. That disappointment was curtailed by touring their magnificent farmhouse, which we were invited to roam around at leisure. And Julian Bannerman, who did most all the talking, was a very entertaining man. 

Gathering at the front door -


We actually entered at the side of the house, right off the patio, which led to this room, where the Bannerman's greeted us. The massive table was filled with books they had written as well as magazine articles about their gardens. As we were listening to Julian's speech, I happened to notice Isabel Bannerman's book "Husbandry" on the table and immediately recognized it as a book I have at home but have not gotten to yet. At the time, I had not made the connection.


Back outside on the patio, which was surrounded by 'Lady Hillingdon' roses that were blooming -



A view of the house from the back -


More wisteria! -






A bench designed by Gertrude Jekyll -












(Visited May 11, 2005)

Text and photos by Phillip Oliver, Dirt Therapy


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  1. tz_gardenSeptember 15, 2025 at 8:38 AM

    Wow, you visited SO many gardens! This one is really charming, and I love that you got to go inside the house. I love to check out what the views of the garden are from the inside.

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    1. Phillip OliverSeptember 15, 2025 at 9:06 AM

      Almost 30 in all! So more to come - haha I got some great photos from inside the house (the kitchen was fantastic), but I'd better not post those. :o

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  2. Kris PetersonSeptember 15, 2025 at 8:38 AM

    Another gorgeous garden! The Wisteria and peonies more than made up for the relatively smaller display of roses. No garden can hit the mark on all fronts at the same time.

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    1. Phillip OliverSeptember 15, 2025 at 9:07 AM

      Yes and I understood that. Hopefully I am going back next June (Sissinghurst!) and it will be the perfect time for seeing roses.

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  3. DeniseSeptember 16, 2025 at 8:05 AM

    I've grown 'Lady Hillingdon' so still have that incredible scent memory...thanks for reviving that! Nothing better than touring gardens in England, like an amusement park for plant lovers.

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