Explore the garden at Mottistone Gardens and Estate

A view down a gravel pathway with flower borders on either side and the stone house in the far distance at Mottistone Garden and Estate — Mottistone Gardens filled with colourful flowers. | © National Trust Images/John Miller

The tranquil garden at Mottistone is well known for its colourful borders but there's far more to explore. Banks covered with wildflowers in the spring shelter the garden and unusual drought-resistant plants thrive without watering. With a multitude of different spaces to discover, and sea views from the higher areas, this garden is not to be missed.

Seeing inside the manor

We’re hoping to open more of the manor for you to explore but we’re currently getting it ready for you to visit. In the meantime, our second-hand book shop is open within the manor and we look forward to showing you more soon.

Summer highlights at Mottistone garden

Throughout the summer, the gardens at Mottistone on the Isle of Wight provide a treat for the senses. From the heady scent of roses in June, to the eye-catching colours of the plants and flowers that fill the borders by August.

The start of summer

As summer begins, the warm June sunshine fills the garden with the aroma of lavender and roses. With its compact clusters of dainty shell pink flowers and glossy leaves the Rosa 'Bonica' stands out within the garden.

Over on the wildflower banks, the oxeye daises cover the slopes in a carpet of white, whilst in the lower garden the tulip tree (Liriodendron tulipifera) produces brightly coloured flowers in abundance. Up on the steps, Mexican fleabane (Erigeron karvinskianus) cascades down the stonework that leads to the rose garden. It is one of the most talked about plants at Mottistone and very popular with bees.

Height of summer colour

By July, catmint and the delicate creamy flowers of Sisyrinchium edge the paths that pass through the double herbaceous border. The sun loving Osteospermum 'Tresco Purple' also begins to flower and will continue to produce colourful blooms through until September.

Summer flowers in the red, blue and orange border

As summer reaches its peak in August, the flowers of the red, blue and orange border display their vibrant colours. Blue Agapanthus contrasts with lofty red Kniphofia, whilst the red bells of Penstemon ‘King George V’ blossom in the sunshine.

Pictorial meadow

Visit the Pictorial Meadow beneath the avenue of fruit trees in the orchard. Wildflowers appear here including musk mallow, clary, knapweed, scarlet flax, scabious, yarrow, wild carrot, corn poppies, and lacy phacelia. This year there are so many different varieties and beautiful colours you'd be hard pressed to identify them all.

Swirling grasses

New borders in the lower garden are planted with a swirling pattern including feathery ornamental grasses, such as stipa gigantea. The perennials include gaura, geum, lupins, sanguisorba, echinops, and white cosmos. These plants will fill the borders with a mixture of colours and textures, especially by late summer and into September.

Food for the eyes

If you pop back throughout the summer, in the organic kitchen garden you'll find different seasonal plants growing, from the bright greens and vibrant reds of lettuce leaves in June, to sweet, melt-in-the-mouth raspberries in September. It has accessible pathways and raised borders so that everyone can enjoy the fruit and vegetables that grow here.

These are just a few of the summer highlights and there are many other plants and flowers to discover around the garden. See what other interesting flora you can find on a visit to Mottistone this summer.

Colourful herbaceous borders

Each summer the double borders fill with colour. From lofty, bright, red-hot pokers, and purple Agapanthus, to creamy Sisyrinchium, the garden bursts with rainbow shades as bees hum and buzz as they gather nectar. The sheltered conditions mean that from June through to late September, the flowers will continue to bloom. As well as more traditional varieties, the borders also contain several drought-resistant plants, as we don't water but let nature take its course.

Tranquil rose garden

This sheltered area of the garden is a wonderful place to relax. Hummingbird hawkmoths are attracted by the flowers. Each June the gentle aroma of the roses fills the garden, and the rose ‘Bonica’ creates a froth of dainty pink shells that cascade across the centre of this patch.

New plants for our changing climate

As one of the National Trust’s most southerly ‘dry’ gardens, the team of gardeners and volunteers plant Mediterranean-style planting. High up on the banks that overlook the garden, there’s a small olive grove that’s starting to establish itself. In the monocot border, to the front of the garden, there are exotic plants from around the world that do well in dry conditions. Here yuccas are found, along with palms and bananas.

More to explore

Most people will head to the borders, but beyond them lie plenty of other corners of the garden to discover.

A view down a gravel path flanked by a tall green hedge with a group of visitors enjoying the flower borders in the garden at Mottistone Garden and Estate — The garden at Mottistone Garden and Estate | © National Trust Images/Chris Lacey

The organic kitchen garden

With accessible pathways and raised beds, the organic kitchen garden has changing planting that varies through the seasons. From the first new potatoes of the year to sweet raspberries in early autumn, there’s always something different to see. Companion planting is used to deter pests and instead of artificial fertilisers the hungry soil is fed with farmyard manure and compost.

The orchard

Towards the rear of the garden is the orchard. Often quieter than the herbaceous borders, it makes a relaxing space to unwind or watch little ones run around on the grassy lawn. In spring, the avenue of trees blossom with confetti-like petals and in summer the fruits start to hang low from laden branches. Head to the very back of the orchard and you’ll find quiet benches to sit on among the tall trees whose leaves gently rustle in the breeze. From here a network of footpaths criss-cross the Mottistone estate too.

Pictorial meadow

In the summer you can walk along the garden's grassy avenues and be treated to a patchwork of waving flower heads and soft grasses.

The recently introduced 'pictorial meadow' is a perennial mix designed to mature over the years and provide colour throughout much of the summer. There’s a lovely mix of wildflowers including viper’s bugloss, ox-eye daisy, cowslip, pink musk mallow, meadow sage and wild carrot. The meadow is already popular with pollinators, especially butterflies. Look out for common blues, small coppers, meadow browns and gatekeepers.

Wildflower banks and sea views

High wildflower banks border the orchard. In spring a carpet of narcissi and bluebells cover the slopes and in summer ox-eye daisies dance and bob in the breeze.

From the lower garden, paths meander up through these shrub-filled banks and grassy terraces to the garden's higher levels. If you sit on one of the benches here, you’ll see views of the garden, village and sea beyond and spy butterflies flitting between the flowers and grasses.

In summer, the gully provides a welcome spot of shade to escape to and in early spring it comes alive with colour as the vivid pink azaleas, rhododendrons, camellias and hellebores flower.

If you’d like to know more about the garden, and how we look after it, you can pick up a guidebook for a small donation at visitor reception.