Hestercombe Gardens

Just a few miles from our Taunton Central North hotel you’ll find this green oasis filled with historic gardens, a forward-thinking art gallery and a top-notch tea room. The main house dates back to the 16th century and was used as an army headquarters during the Second World War, and now welcomes nearly 100,000 visitors each year to its stunning gardens. Designed over centuries by several horticulturists, the gardens contain ponds, imposing alcoves, a Tuscan arbour, a grand cascade and an orangery. The latest garden architect to landscape the area was Gertrude Jekyll in 1904 when she added a herb garden, a Dutch terrace and some fascinating colour and plant combinations.

Spread over 100 acres, the site is split into three distinct areas ranging from woodland to lakes and ponds through to formal gardens, and is now a main breeding ground for lesser horseshoe bats who use the stables as a breeding ground.

The gallery is worth a trip on its own. Focusing on art, nature and the natural landscape for obvious reasons, the gallery is a great way to discover new talents with several exhibitions on display at any one time.

Once you’ve trekked around the gardens which are alive during all the seasons, it’s time for a well-deserved break. There are two on-site eateries: Stables café for all your lunch, coffee and snack needs and the more formal Column Room restaurant, both of which offer gorgeous views out across the gardens.

If that wasn’t quite enough, Hestercombe Gardens and House are also home to a diverse range of activities – the 1610 company run a range of outdoor activities including paintballing and bushcraft skills, while the Lavender Rooms is the place if you want to pamper yourself, offering waxing, manicures, pedicures and lots more.

It’s easy to spend most of the day visiting the gardens, so you can get good value for the entry fee: Adults get in for just over a tenner, while under-fives get in for free. Dogs on leads are welcome and there’s plenty of free parking.