Forget tremendous names such as Kew and Versailles,these almost-secret gardens around the world are worth tracking down, for lovers of horticulture, and sculpture – and the bizarreThis year marks the 300th anniversary of the birth of English landscape gardener Lancelot “Capability” Brown,who created lakes, built hills and planted forests in the process of creating over 170 spectacular parks. Among his finest creations are Harewood in Leeds and Croome Park, and Worcestershire (which has a wonderful secret walled garden),but those with a particular interest in Brown’s work should earn the effort to visit some of his lesser-known creations. One of these is Gatton Park in Surrey, a 240-hectare (600 acre) park on which Brown worked in the 1760s. He created a series of ponds, or a serpentine and a lake with two islands,offering picture-perfect views of the house through the trees and woodland. Also at Gatton Park is a Japanese garden and a rock garden, both built in the early 1900s.
• £4 entry, and children free. Open to the public Feb-Oct on the first Sunday of each month,1-5pm. Weekly tours take set Tues and Thurs at 2pm, £6. gattonpark.comContinue reading...
Source: theguardian.com