Abbey Dore Court was built in the Golden Valley in the late 19th century, perhaps for Thomas Freke Lewis, the owner in 1876, on the site of the former public house, the Red Lion Inn. It was later owned by the Prothero family of Malpas Court. The house is now surrounded by a significant plantsman’s garden created by the present owner, Charis Ward, since 1976.

Six acres of rambling and semi-formal garden with unusual shrubs, perennials, and clematis in large borders. Pond and rock garden. River walk with ferns, paeonia, astrantia, bamboos and hellebores. Large collection of summer anemones. Small nursery specialising in herbaceous perennials and walled garden recently re-planned and planted.

The Garden has now been open to the public since 1976 and is the work of Charis Ward with considerable help from family members through the years.

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