If gardens are your thing, Marwood Hill is one of those discoveries that genuinely takes your breath away. Tucked into a valley just north of Barnstaple, this privately owned 20-acre garden has been built over decades into something quite extraordinary: a National Collections holder for three plant genera, winner of the International Camellia Society’s Garden of Excellence award, and one of the finest gardens in the South West.
The garden is arranged around three lakes at the valley bottom, and the visual drama this creates is remarkable. Swathes of bog plants, waterside irises, and moisture-loving perennials frame the water, while the rising ground on either side is planted with rare trees, species rhododendrons, and extensive collections of shrubs and herbaceous plants. There is something in flower here from late winter through to autumn, but spring is spectacular: camellias, magnolias, and bluebells give way to the iris collections in early summer.
The nursery at Marwood is also well worth a visit in its own right, stocking many of the unusual cultivars grown throughout the garden, and the tearoom serves excellent lunches and cakes. Combining the garden with a visit to RHS Rosemoor (about 15 miles further on) makes for a very rewarding day for plant enthusiasts.
Marwood Hill is about 15 miles from Woolacombe, easily reached on the A361 and then minor roads north of Barnstaple. The garden is open daily from March to October. There is an admission charge; it is worth every penny.
for you staying in North Devon for more than a few days, Marwood Hill rewards more than one visit through the season. The spring displays in March and April give way to early summer iris and perennial plantings, which in turn yield to the late summer borders and autumn colour in the trees around the lakes. It is a garden that has been assembled over decades with genuine horticultural intelligence, and the plant nursery on site stocks many of the unusual cultivars that you will see growing in the borders.
