A VILLAGE in England is home to an 18th-century subtropical garden where visitors feel like they’re abroad.
Located just 20 minutes from the longest beach in the UK, the village of Abbotsbury is home to Abbotsbury Subtropical Gardens.
Abbotsbury Subtropical Gardens benefits from a mild climate[/caption]
The gardens are home to over 6,000 different plant species[/caption]
The Jurassic Coast village is steeped in history, with Abbotsbury Subtropical Gardens being one of its main attractions.
Established in 1765, when the 1st Countess of Ilchester built the castle on the site overlooking Lyme Bay, the gardens are home to thousands of different plant species.
Several generations of the family tended to the garden over the last few hundred years, expanding its growing collection of plant life.
Nowadays, Abbotsbury Subtropical Gardens is home to over 6,000 species of plants from around the world.
Because of its coastal location, which benefits from mild winters and cooler summers, several species of plants can thrive in the Victorian gardens.
Spread over 30 acres, visitors can walk along winding paths through lush landscapes, featuring stunning displays of camellias, magnolias, and rhododendrons.
One of its rarest plants is the Puya, native to Chile, the plant has ferocious spines that have been known to trap sheep, birds and small animals.
The Puya only flowers once every 10 years, with its last blooming taking place in 2023.
Other features in Abbotsbury Subtropical Gardens include a Victorian Walled Garden and a children’s play area.
There’s also a cafe with a wooden veranda and courtyard that’s surrounded by plants.
Light snacks, savoury pastries, sandwiches, cakes and a range of hot and cold drinks are served at the cafe.
Entry into the gardens costs £12.95 for a full-paying adult and £6.95 for kids.
The Dorset-based gardens has a 4.5/5 star rating from over 1,000 reviews on TripAdvisor, with one person writing: “Who needs to go abroad you have this”.
Another person added: “It’s such a beautiful place, and it really does feel like you’re abroad somewhere”.
A third person wrote: “We visited the garden on a lovely sunny day and it was like stepping into a different country”.
Set on Dorset‘s Jurassic Coast, there are plenty of other attractions in the area, including Chesil Beach.
Chesil Beach is the longest beach in the country, running from the Isle of Portland to West Bay.
The gardens are near Chesil Beach, which is the longest in the UK[/caption]
The Dorset beach was the backdrop for Ian McEwan’s acclaimed novel On Chesil Beach.
Despite not having any sand, the shingle beach still draws in holidaymakers from across the UK thanks to its stunning views.
Visitors can marvel at the UK coastline from one of the many beachfront pubs and cafes.
Located on the Isle of Portland, The Cove House Inn is from the 18th- century and provides diners with sweeping over Portland.
The small pub serves a range of traditional grub like fish pies, scampi and fish and chips, with mains starting from £12.
Chesil Beach is also backed by Fleet Lagoon – a large saline lake, which is one of the last undisturbed brackish lagoons left in the world.
Designated a Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), Fleet Lagoon is an important habitat for many different species of wildlife, including the world’s only managed colony of nesting mute swans.
Three other subtropical gardens to visit in the UK
Here are three subtropical gardens to visit in the UK
Tresco Abbey Garden, Isles of Scilly
Located on the island of Tresco, this garden boasts an impressive collection of exotic plants from around the world, thriving in the mild climate of the Isles of Scilly. With over 20,000 plants from 80 different countries, visitors can enjoy a stunning array of colours and scents throughout the year.
Abbey Gardens, Isle of Wight
Situated in the picturesque village of Ventnor, the Ventnor Botanic Garden benefits from a unique microclimate that allows a wide range of subtropical and exotic plants to flourish. The garden features various themed areas, including a Mediterranean garden and a New Zealand garden, offering a diverse and vibrant experience.
Logan Botanic Garden, Dumfries & Galloway
Located on the southwestern tip of Scotland, Logan Botanic Garden enjoys the warming influence of the Gulf Stream. This enables an extraordinary collection of subtropical plants to thrive, including palms, tree ferns, and giant gunnera. The garden is renowned for its stunning displays of exotic flora and its tranquil, scenic setting.
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The gardens are located in Dorset[/caption]
Entry costs just under £13 for a full-paying adult[/caption]
