Reviews of Stourton House Flower Garden

This garden is a complete mess. Must have been lovely once but now the weeds have thoroughly taken over. The flower garden is full of golden rod, no other flowers discernable. The ponds are overgrown with no water visible. The lawned area by the house is the least weedy, the hydrangeas are beautiful in their colour and variety. It was all a bit depressing and certainly not worth the £3.50 entry fee.

(1.0/5)

'This is a wild garden' we are told by the gracious lady at the kiosk and evidently a lady of significant plant knowledge, wisdom and years.
The dichotomy that unfolded as one wandered through a very structured and planted garden was that the 'wildness' only related to the maintenance, probably simply because of diminished resources and Elizabeth's advancing years. Under the dust of wildness was a charmingly designed and well planted garden.
There is still enough strength in the layout and existng care to carry the advancing tide of horticultural hoodies [as one could describe the wildness], so the garden and a wealth of interesting trees ,shrubs and perennials not to mention the Hydrangeas are still worth a visit.

(3.0/5)

An old fashioned, enchanting place, I will not forget. It's like walking into 4 acres of secret gardens. Hydrangeas everywhere, of which I was told by the owner Elizebeth,(who must be in her nineties, and mans the till), there are 270 varieties. A very family run house/garden, where her daughter runs the tea room. A delight.

(5.0/5)

Our visit to this garden was the best memory I hold of my Spring time trip to England. I could have spent all day happily moving slowly through the garden and enjoying our cream tea ! Meeting and talking with Elizabeth,at length, was the icing on the cake ! Thank you Elizabeth for giving me such a wonderful heart warming memory of a much beloved country.

(5.0/5)

An endearing and enchanting place to visit. I went on a wet July afternoon with thunder rumbling in the background, but had such fun wandering through all the different 'rooms' of the garden.

Yes, it's become overgrown in places, and the cultivated plants are a little overwhelmed in places by the messier wild ones, but it remains visually delightful and the scent from the rampant roses, honeysuckle and philadelphus was fantastic.

The lady owner who sold tickets at the gate advised me to try the rose petal cake in the tea room, which I found tucked into a slightly delapidated outbuilding. Made by her daughter, the cake was light as air and didn't disappoint!

Overall I thought the £3.50 entry fee, together with the £3.60 that I paid for a lovely pot of tea and THE CAKE, were a small price to pay for such a fun afternoon.

(5.0/5)

What a delight to find such a very different garden open to the public. It is a natural garden with what some might say are weeds jostling for position among other plants. The garden isn't large about 4 to 5 acres so 2 hours for the garden and an hour in the tea room is about right or alternatively take a book and stay all day because you'll certainly find a degree of peace and tranquility here. There are some formal aspects to the layout of the garden but on the whole plants are simply allowed to grow without the necessity to over manicure. There is a place for highly manicured gardens and they are undoubtedly beautiful but take a close look at this garden and you'll dicover the best of natural gardens - traditional plants & wild flowers side by side. This is quite simply an enchanting and magical place but remember to leave all your preconceptions of what a garden should be at the gate. You are likely to meet the owner at the gate and this will only enhance your visit - get chatting and you'll discover her passion and philosophy for a garden she's loved for over 50 years.

(5.0/5)

I don't know when the last poster went to this garden but I and my group found it fascinating. We were met by Elizabeth the elderly lady who owns the garden. She explained before our tour that the garden was a natural one and that she encourages wild flowers to grow alongside border plants, which works to great effect and enhances the ethos of the garden.

This is not a garden of regimented rows of flowers and it does have its weeds, which you would expect in any NATURAL garden. There is a delightful tea room set in the garden or under the veranda selling home made produce. I would recommend this garden to anyone who likes informality and unusual plants.

PS the Hydrangea collection is to die for!

(4.0/5)

We recently visited these gardens as a group and i must say it is an absolute disgrace to open these gardens to the public and to charge 3.50 each.
It has obviously been neglected for a number of years,
I suggest you get it closed to the public until such times they are able to get it in some sort of order.
I spoke to the owner and she said she has had problems getting gardeners,so I suggest someone pays a visit to see the appalling state of the gardens.

(1.0/5)