A pretty perfect day out

The morning before I visited Bourton House Garden I’d been crying.

Proper tears that couldn’t be wiped away fast enough or stop on demand. We don’t need to go into why, it’s all a bit messy, and it certainly wasn’t pretty.

But it was that sorry mess which made me resolve, once I’d washed my face clean, that I was definitely in need of pretty. And to compensate for my morning, not just average pretty, but pretty bloody spectacular.

Luckily, the weather was on my side. When I arrived the sun was shining, blue skies were glowing and the last glimpses of summer were all around me.

Still feeling rather bruised, I wandered inside clutching a map, and that’s when all traces of sadness miraculously evaporated. Suddenly I was totally transfixed by the breathtaking beauty around me.

From the tranquil wonder of the perfectly formed white garden - all billowing hydrangeas, dahlias, roses and a host of the palest hued sprays of blooms to the magnificent borders of the main lawn, I was in heaven.

There’s something about standing in the centre of a stunning garden, when a breeze dances through and for a moment, it’s as if every plant is waving - saying ‘look at me’ and in those seconds all else is forgotten.

I wandered spellbound, along the carefully manicured topiary walk, and when I approached the sprawling, perfectly manicured lawn, every angle was captivating.

On the one hand you can’t help but be impressed by the splendour of the golden stoned 18th century manor house itself. But the surrounding borders are artwork themselves.

The late summer colour of vibrant oranges and yellows fills one side, opposite the prettiest soft blend of purples and pinks. For a first time visitor, you find yourself looking left, transfixed, then right, then back left again. You simply want to run to every corner to see nature’s artistry close up.

It’s a heady show, with beautiful seated areas, framing different angles perfectly for you.

I was most intrigued by the shade house, a slatted shed-like building which creates an attractive and unusual visual framework for the thriving plants inside.

The Knot Garden, with precise topiary surrounding the Basket Pond from the Great Exhibition of 1851, is almost shockingly gorgeous. I have never seen a pond as crystal clear and as sparklingly clean as this one and the surrounding hedging has barely a leaf out of place. It’s an arresting sight.

I was so impressed that, after a delicious slice of chocolate cake enjoyed under leafy trees in the orchard, I decided to walk around for a second time and fell in love with the place all over again.

Tears? What tears? When I finally left, it was with a very happy and inspired heart. This place is an uplifting, transformative treasure.

Bourton House Garden, on the outskirts of Moreton-in-Marsh, is open Tuesday to Friday until October. Entry is £8, children go free.

For more information visit www.bourtonhouse.com