Kiftsgate Court Gardens

Kiftsgate Court Gardens sits on the edge of the Cotswold escarpment above Mickleton, only a few hundred yards from Hidcote Manor Garden. It is the work of three generations of women, and it has a softer, less formal feel than its famous neighbour: one garden designer called it a prettier, less organised place. It is still a family home, which adds to its relaxed character.

The top of the garden is the most planted. From the paved formal garden in front of the portico, steps lead to lawns and to the Yellow Border and the Rose Border, which made Kiftsgate's name for colour work. Graham Stuart Thomas wrote in 1951 that it was the finest piece of skilled colour work he had seen. Yew and copper beech hedges divide the spaces. A summer house built in 1930 marks the top of the steep bank, with steps down either side to the lower garden. The old hard tennis court, hedged with yew in the 1930s, is now a modern water garden, a striking contrast with the borders above. The star plant is the Kiftsgate rose, Rosa filipes 'Kiftsgate', planted in 1938 and claimed to be the largest rose in Britain.

Gardeners who struggle with colour will learn a lot from the borders, which show how to build rich pictures without clashing. The modern water garden is a lesson in how a simple, bold idea can sit happily in an old garden. There is a tea room in the house. The steep bank makes some routes hard going, so allow plenty of time.