Garden Finder > England > Somerset > Hanham Court Gardens

Last updated on 18 February 10

Hanham Court Gardens

  4.3/5 (6 ratings)
  • Hanham Court Gardens, Somerset Photograph © Bannerman Design
  • Gate, Hanham Court Gardens Photograph © Bannerman Design
  • Hanham Court Gardens Photograph © Bannerman Design
  • Tower, Hanham Court Gardens Photograph © Bannerman Design
  • Hanham Court Gardens, Summer 2009 Photograph © Marion Monahan
  • Dhalias, Hanham Court Gardens Photograph © Marion Monahan
  • Hanham Court Garden, Spring Photograph © Anthurium/Katrina Underwood
  • Hanham Court Garden, Spring 2011 Photograph © Anthurium/Katrina Underwood
  • Hanham Court Photograph © Anthurium/Katrina Underwood

Gardenvisit Editorial

Banham Court Garden was designed by Julian and Isabel Bannerman, who have owned the property since 1983. The style is 'traditional English' with a lake, fountains, rill, cascade, folly, ruins and temples. Some of them are handled in an innovative manner, including a stumpery - similar in style to the stumpery the Bannermans made for Prince Charles at Highgrove.

Head Gardener's Comment

Half way between Bath and Bristol, this unexpectedly rural mediaeval monastic enclave at the end of a tiny lane near the River Avon, has provided us with a remarkable opportunity to create, over fifteen years, a deeply romantic, scented garden.

The 'Dell' is home to a stumpery such as the one we created at Highgrove for The Prince of Wales, with ferns, tree ferns, massed snowdrops, hellebores, dog tooth violets, violets and primroses, magnolias, wild rambling roses rampaging through trees, pools and stream. The formal garden is a fortified bastion with fountains, luscious borders of old roses and tree peonies, scented perennials and bulbs, lilies and daturas in pots, punctuated by buildings and doorways which lead out into the miniature parkland, orchard, wildflower meadows, and simple cutting and vegetable gardens.

Plants of Note

Each month offers different delights; starting in April when under the magnificent Walnut tree, whose branches spread across a diameter of 94ft, ‘snakes head’ fritillaries stand in fragile thousands, to be followed by pheasant-eye narcissus and foaming cow parsley, and the house is draped in wisteria and yellow banksian roses.

Address - Hanham Court, Ferry Lane, Hanham Abbots, Bristol, Somerset, England, BS15 3NT
Opening times - Good Friday to October. Friday to Monday. Open 11:30am to 5:30pm.
Admission - Adult £6.50
Website - Visit the Hanham Court Gardens website

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Recent Reviews

  • 9 months ago Katrina Underwood said

    A lovely garden, full of quirky surprises and lots of colourful plantings.

    (4.0/5)
  • almost 2 years ago Mary said

    As a volunteer at Hanham Court we all aim to support, create and provide a garden that delights, surprises, welcomes and stimulates all the senses.
    A cold winter took everyone and the garden by surprise, meant that Nature wisely delayed her flowering of the snowdrops, some of which have only just finished flowering!
    Reflecting this unexpected event, prices were reduced on entry and many people were enchanted withe magical appearance of so many snowdrops!
    Please come and see what it is that takes peoples breath away and encourages the desire to return.
    Visit the beautiful garden throughout the seasons and experience its sensuality, perfume, colour, humour, clever design and perhaps the greatest thrill -- anticipation of what is to come!

    (5.0/5)
  • almost 2 years ago Phil Lewin said

    I've given this garden 3 stars because although my wife and I thought it very poor value for money, it's also fair to say that we probably didn't see all the snowdrops. The garden is very obviously a work in progress, and the pictures on GardenVisit.com suggest it should be nicer later in the year.

    We thought that £3 to £3.50 might have been reasonable, but £6.50 per head was excessive.

    All this said, however, I did find some good photo opportunities. I have just downloaded the results from my memory card, and will post them on my own website shortly. My personal favourite is the crown on the water spout.

    As an ex-National Trust member, I have to say that the £7.70 fee for Stourhead, near Frome, seems much better value. You can spend a whole day there, and there is always something worth seeing.

    (3.0/5)
  • over 2 years ago Marian Boswall said

    Well worth the drive from Kent! The first year open, it had to be seen before it shuts at the end of August. Wonderful design around a designer's dream house. Great planting and superb architectural 'finds'. Lots of structure in topiary and hedging, reconstructed gothic walling and a haha to beautiful view. A romantic orchard with showman's wagon and another with shepherd's hut that looked freshly slept in! The stumpery and floating crown fountain are witty and show the designers having fun, an important part of any garden.

    (5.0/5)
  • over 2 years ago Marion Monahan said

    With five friends I visited on 16.08.09. It was a dry but cloudy day which showed off the dahlias to great advantage, and what a glorious show! The bold colour scheme was inspirational and the crown fountain delightful. This is a garden for people with imagination. As I soaked in the beauty of it, I was also weaving stories - most genres except horror! The garden has the lot - splendid old buildings, including a pretty church and tythe barn, quirky statues to raise a smile, wonderful plants, good refreshments from pleasant staff and, of course, great design. Thank you.

    (5.0/5)

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