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Owl House Gardens surround a
16th century timber-framed wool smuggler's cottage (not open
to the public). The romantic gardens, covering 16.5
acres, were created from a cabbage patch in 1952 by Maureen,
Marchioness of Dufferin and Ava, who hoped that visitors would
love and value the gardens as much as she had done.
There are beautiful woodland
walks where oaks, elms, birch and beech trees are under-planted
with rhododendrons, azaleas and bulbs. Here clematis,
wisteria and roses climb many of the trees. In a circle
of standard rhododendrons stands a huge stone owl, the guardian
of the garden.
Other features include an apple
and cherry blossom walk, a 'river' of grape hyacinths which
descends a hill in the woodland and sunken water gardens surrounded
by azaleas, rhododendrons and camellias.
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the
internet holiday and travel guide to the UK
Owl House Gardens
