Glorious gardens – 10 of the best
With spring’s dew and rain well and truly behind us and temperatures soaring into the high 30’s, there has never been a better time to get out into the garden! Since our last best gardens article, we have seen an exponential number of locations come on with us. And with the scorching summer we are in the midst of, we just had to give you the rundown of our best gardens you can shoot at in 2022. Ranging from London family homes with enchanting gardens, to country estates with the best views you’ll see this year, as always, there’s a little bit of something for everyone! Without further ado, let’s dive straight in and let you make your decision on your favourite this summer.
Dacres
From the front, our first location to feature may first appear as a slightly understated double-fronted family home. Interiors are subtle and nuanced, combining premium touches with period elements, however, it’s not the interiors that bring Dacres to this list. Venture into the back garden and Dacres truly comes to life! Filled with an array of plants: bushes, flowers and obscure trees, including an outstanding branch arch; as well as two ponds and an art studio, Dacres is one of the most enchanting gardens you’ll find in London. We like to call it the secret garden of South East London.
Medallion
From a magic garden, to a manor house, you can’t say we don’t offer a diverse range of locations for you to have a gander at! Set within 88-acres of parkland, on the edge of Salisbury Plain, Medallion is a classic Georgian manor house, located in an area of outstanding natural beauty. Approached through an alluring tree-lined drive, Medallion will have you swooning before you even enter the property. With 4 acres of formal and informal gardens, a swimming pool, a garden kitchen, tennis court and a Georgian stables complex, you won’t struggle for unique shooting opportunities at Medallion.
Valentine
Moving from the South West to the South East, our next garden to feature is Valentine – a gorgeous country home situated in West Sussex. Set atop barrelling hills, Valentine offers spectacular views as far as the eye can see. If this wasn’t enough to entice you, Valentine also showcases a patio area, a beautiful landscaped garden and a glorious swimming pool, overlooking the hills. Perfect for the summer months. Imagine having a dip in the pool gazing over the English countryside.
6ixteen Country
Part of two separate shoot locations – 6ixteen Country and 6ixteen Cottage – 6ixteen Country is the larger, main part of the complex. Situated in the heart of Kent, this gorgeous property is the ultimate outdoor destination for photoshoots and filming. With beautiful formal gardens outside the main house, this might alone be enough to make the list, but they’ve taken it way further – there’s also a lake, informal grounds, woodland areas, a tennis court and a swimming pool. You won’t struggle for that perfect outdoor shot here.
Poulton Farm
Made up of a number of large Cotswolds stone barns that have been brought together through a gorgeous French colonial interior style, our next location is Poulton Farm. Offering an extremely eclectic aesthetic, the outdoor area is a vast vineyard with incredibly extensive and beautiful grounds. Areas to shoot include formal gardens, a greenhouse, vineyards, considerable grounds and a tennis court.
Rooke
Rooke screams opulence from the moment you lay eyes on the property – offering a deluge of premium features, including a home bar, home cinema and wine cellar. However, we are here for the plethora of exterior features that wouldn’t be out of place in the Hollywood Hills. Check out the exquisite landscaped garden with gorgeous views of the surrounding hills and River Thames, a hot tub, swimming pool and a fabulous exotic tiki bar.
Simax
Designed by Sandy Rendel, our next location – Simax – is an award-winning home that had to make our list. Offering something a little different to the rest of the properties on this list, Simax showcases a less conventional garden, set atop the River Ouse in East Sussex. With an indoor/ outdoor patio area to shade from the sun and a stretch of grass that overlooks the river and surrounding nature reserve, Simax is the definition of idyllic.
Swan Court
From a modern grand designs style building to a classic Georgian manor house, we always like to offer as much diversity as possible! This fabulous shoot location is embedded within fields of trees that overlook a beautiful lake. With a delightfully groomed maze, woodland areas, landscaped gardens and a collection of the most marvellous flowers you’ll see today, there are boundless opportunities for that perfect shot. Every nook and cranny offers another possibility; Swan Court is a real gem, with endless charm and opportunities!
Burlotti
While the majority of the locations on this list are either large detached homes or manor houses in the countryside, we thought we should throw in something a bit more relatable (whilst gorgeous). Burlotti is a late Georgian East London semi-detached family home with a glorious south facing garden. Receiving tons of natural light throughout the day, this incredibly pretty garden is lined with an array of beautiful flowers and trees. Showcasing a cobbled path leading down to a fabulous garden studio and a stone garden, Burlotti offers a distinct Mediterranean feel – this is every Londoner’s dream garden!
Somerley
Last but never least, we give you Somerley. Perched on the high west bank, overlooking the River Avon’s Water Meadows, two miles north of Ringwood in Hampshire – Somerley and its 7,000 acres, sits nestled between the New Forest and the Dorset border. A Georgian stately home, Somerley features a unique walled garden with an ice house built into the side of the bank. There’s also extensive grounds that include large formal gardens, a trident water fountain, 180 acres of parkland, an outdoor swimming pool, tennis court and stables. If this wasn’t enough, Somerley also contains deciduous and evergreen woodlands, a 4×4 driving track, a quarry, a river and lakes as well as a shooting range. What are you waiting for?
