Sudeley Castle

In a county filled with beautiful gardens, Sudeley Castle's are amongst the finest. Having visited the gardens several times, I was not surprised to learn that in 2009 Sudeley was voted the #1 Favourite Garden to Visit by readers of BBC Gardeners' World magazine. The castle has a fascinating history: it was once home to Queen Katherine Parr, the last and only surviving wife of Henry VIII. Henry, Anne Boleyn, Lady Jane Grey and Queen Elizabeth I all lived at or visited Sudeley, and the romantic gardens evoke the distant Tudor past as well as more recent periods. Ruined buildings cascade with lush plantings of wisteria, clematis and old roses, and grand avenues of topiary yews frame views to the beautiful Cotswold countryside. Sudeley is reknowned for its Queens Garden, a formal rose garden which hosts an annual "Rose Week" - a real treat for rose lovers. But Sudeley isn't just a historic garden - the castle remains a family home, and Lady Ashcombe is currently planning a new Elizabethan herb garden to complement the existing plantings. Along with its outstanding gardens, Sudeley Castle's Pheasantry offers visitors a chance to see 15 species of rare and endangered pheasants. Other activities of interest include a range of exhibitions about the castle's history, as well as Connoisseur's Tours of the private family apartments. A coffee shop, plant centre and gift shop complete the experience. If you are a garden lover, be sure to add Sudeley Castle to your itinerary - it is the perfect place to soak up some history whilst enjoying the beauty of a great English garden.