Clovelley Court Gardens, Clovelly, Bideford, Devon

If you’re visiting the historic North Devon fishing village of Clovelly in the summer, allow time to see the gardens at Clovelly Court as well. Sheltered from the coastal breezes that blow in from the Bristol Channel and benefitting from the warm air of the Gulf Stream, the gardens have the ideal conditions for tropical plants to thrive, so you’ll see things growing here that aren’t your common or garden flora and foliage.

And it’s so pretty, set within the walls of a former Victorian kitchen garden that was established to supply fresh produce for the people who lived in the big house, and their staff. The herbaceous beds are bursting with colour, sub-tropical plants bloom, herbs flourish and there are neatly trained cordons of apples, pears and quince. A real feast for the eyes (as well as the belly) is the impressive amount of fruit and veg grown in the restored Victorian glass houses – even grapes, peaches, apricots, melons, lemons and figs! Much of it goes into the food that’s served in the cafes and inns that stand on the cobbled street in the village.

Admission is included in your Clovelly ticket, otherwise you can pay a small fee if you only want to visit the gardens.

Open everyday except Christmas Day and Boxing Day 10am-4:30pm

T: 01237 431781 All information correct at the time of writing