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Six of the best gardens to visit near Wareham
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Kingston Lacy
The National Trust’s Kingston Lacy brings architecture, art and horticulture together in particularly elegant fashion. Its Italian-inspired house is surrounded by a formal parterre, sweeping lawns, a fernery and Japanese-influenced planting.
Allow time to continue to the Victorian Kitchen Garden, where glasshouses, fruit trees and colourful borders recall its productive past. Seasonal highlights range from spring cherry blossom and summer wildflowers to richly coloured Japanese maples in autumn.
Hardy’s Cottage
For a smaller and more intimate National Trust garden, visit Hardy’s Cottage near Dorchester. The cottage garden and orchard surround the childhood home of Dorset writer Thomas Hardy, creating a strong connection between literature and landscape.
The planting has a natural, unforced character, while neighbouring Thorncombe Wood offers the chance to extend your visit with a peaceful walk through the countryside that helped shape Hardy’s imagination.
Athelhampton House and Gardens
Athelhampton pairs a Tudor manor house with five acres of formal gardens. Walled garden rooms, sculpted topiary, water features and generous herbaceous borders unfold gradually around the historic house.
It is an inviting choice for guests who appreciate thoughtful design and the satisfying order of a beautifully composed garden.
Sculpture by the Lakes
Near Dorchester, Sculpture by the Lakes places contemporary art within 26 acres of botanical gardens, lakes and riverside landscape. More than 120 sculptures are positioned throughout the grounds, allowing planting, water and artwork to be viewed as a single composition.
Visitors must be aged 14 or over, which helps preserve the garden’s distinctly tranquil atmosphere. This is somewhere to linger rather than hurry through — a principle we understand rather well at The Priory.
Compton Acres
Compton Acres in Poole was created in 1920 and extends across more than 10 acres. Its series of themed spaces includes an Italian Garden and Japanese Garden, offering changing moods and planting styles within one visit.
The garden’s pathways can be steep or narrow in places, but alternative routes are available. Its combination of horticulture and architectural detail makes it especially rewarding for design-minded visitors.
Abbotsbury Subtropical Gardens
For something altogether more exotic, travel west to Abbotsbury Subtropical Gardens. Established in 1765, this Grade I-listed garden occupies a sheltered woodland valley near Dorset’s Jurassic Coast.
Its unusual microclimate supports an extensive collection of subtropical plants. Paths lead through areas including the Sino-Himalayan Glade, Australasian Garden, Fernery and Secret Walk, creating a wonderfully immersive afternoon among unfamiliar foliage.
Plan a garden break in Dorset
After a day among Dorset’s finest gardens, return to riverside calm in the heart of Wareham. Unwind in The Priory’s own charming gardens, followed by a produce-led dining experience in The Garden Room Restaurant and a restful night in one of our individually appointed bedrooms or suites.
Please check each garden’s current opening times and booking arrangements before travelling.
