Enchanting gardens set in a sheltered valley and surrounded by rolling downland. 

Set in a sheltered valley, these magical gardens are full of surprises, with shrub-filled banks, hidden pathways and colourful herbaceous borders.

Created from an abandoned farmyard and surrounding an attractive Elizabethan manor house, these 20th-century gardens are experimenting with a Mediterranean-style planting scheme to take advantage of the warm, southerly location. Here the tall leaves of exotic plants fill the borders whilst a young olive grove is establishing itself on the high banks.

Stretching from the chalk downs through rolling hedge-lined farmland and down to the sea, the wider Mottistone Estate is a landscape shaped over thousands of years. Follow the network of footpaths that criss-cross the area and you’ll travel back in time past Bonze Age barrows and the Neolithic Longstone.

Today the land is still cared for in a nature-sensitive way. Walk along any of the paths and you might spy butterflies gathering nectar from wild flowers, or rare birds in the wide skies overhead. In the summer, the elusive Nightjar even makes its home here on the common.

Things to see and do

- Explore the gardens including the organic kitchen gardens and the rose garden

- Stop at the Tea Gardens selling hot and cold drinks and snacks

-  Walk to the longstone and explore the beautiful surrounding countryside

Booking in advance is essential, visit the National Trust website for more details.