From grand projects surrounding stately homes to flowering oases brightening lonely landscapes, England is home to a magnificent array of creative gardens. Here are some of our favourites.

Set in the heart of the Oxfordshire countryside, the beautifully landscaped gardens and park that surround Blenheim Palace (the only British historic house to be named a UNESCO World Heritage Site) are a national treasure.

The gardens were partly designed by Britain’s most influential landscape designer, Capability Brown, who favoured a naturalistic approach. Features include a maze of 3,000 yew trees, lakes, a rose garden, arboretum and a miniature train. The Grand Bridge, designed by Sir John Vanburgh, contains rooms and tunnels hidden within its structure complete with centuries old graffiti.

In 1930 Harold Nicolson and Vita Sackville-West bought the Kentish manor Sissinghurst, then a decaying romantic ruin. Together they set about creating an English garden laid out as a series of “rooms” contained within walls or hedges.

Each room has a distinctive theme and colour, from the formal cool of the Lime Walk to the hot hues of the South Cottage Garden. The white garden is especially spectacular in summer, but there is always something to see whatever the time of year. Climb to the top of the tall brick Elizabethan Tower in the centre of the gardens for a bird-eye view of the estate.

Kew’s reputation was first established by the British naturalist and plant hunter, Sir Joseph Banks, who worked here in the late 18th century. The former royal gardens were created by Princess Augusta, the mother of George III, on the site in 1759. 

The magnificent Temperate House is the world’s largest Victorian-era glasshouse, showcasing 1,500 rare or endangered plant species from across the globe. The Palm House, designed by Decimus Burton in the 1840s, houses exotic plants in tropical conditions.

Great Dixter is a 15th-century manor house that was the family home of revered gardener Christopher Lloyd, whose life’s work was dedicated to creating one of the world’s most exciting and experimental gardens. Located in East Sussex, this grand garden benefits from a mild maritime climate. Features include pristine topiary, exuberant borders, natural ponds and wildflower meadows.

First planted in the late 18th century, the Lost Gardens of Heligan were neglected to the point of decay after 16 of the 22 gardeners were killed during World War I. They were rediscovered by Tim Smit (the mind behind the Eden Project) and restored to their former glory, while preserving the wild, tangled character.

The site includes walled flower gardens and a sub-tropical jungle valley. Sculptures in the ancient woodlands, such as a sleeping mud maid, lend an air of fantasy to this already mysterious site.

Located on the windswept headland of Dungeness, Prospect Cottage is the former home and sanctuary of artist, filmmaker and gay rights activist Derek Jarman. The painted black Fisherman’s cottage is accompanied by a small garden that has become one of the most acclaimed in England.

This unusual garden is a colourful flowering oasis transposed onto the eerie landscape of Dungeness, punctuated by dramatic driftwood sculptures which Jarman made from material found on the beach.

In 1997 Jane Percy, Duchess of Northumberland, decided to bring an overgrown garden close to Alnwick Castle back to life. It is still an ongoing project, created by Belgian garden designers Jacques and Peter Wirtz.

The Grand Cascade, visible on entry, is the largest water feature of its kind in the UK. Between the sweet Rose Garden and the sinister Poison Garden, filled with the world's deadliest plants, there are many fascinating plantings to enjoy.