Here head gardeners Tom Brown and Åsa Gregers-Warg pick the gardens that will be at their best this month. Don't miss our choices of the best plants for June, what to sow this month and the gardening jobs for June.
Gardens to visit in June 2025
Ventnor Botanic Garden
Ventnor Botanic Garden is one of the first gardens I worked in, and remains one of my favourite places to visit. Situated on the south coast of the Isle of Wight, with an enviable Gulf Stream climate and sheltered from the wind, this garden rarely gets a frost and the plant collections are superb.
Storm damage in 1987 provided an opportunity for replanting, which the then curator, Simon Goodenough, set about with energy and vision. Some of the subsequent plantings from around the world are now beginning to reach maturity.
Much of the garden has a Mediterranean ‘wild garden’ feel and highlights include some of the oldest Trachycarpus fortunei in the country and forests of Echium wildpretii and Echium pininana, all hybridising and naturalising in a wild garden setting. This spectacle is at its best from the end of June into July.
The garden has been curated by Chris Kidd since 2011.
Undercliff Drive, Ventnor, Isle of Wight PO38 1UL. Tel 01983 855397, botanic.co.uk
Chosen by Tom Brown
Farringford House
Another beautiful garden on the Isle of Wight is Farringford House, the former home of the poet Alfred, Lord Tennyson.
The garden had become quite dilapidated until the current owners bought the property and employed Ellen and Alistair Penstone-Smith in 2017 to restore and develop it. The biggest challenge has been the two-acre walled garden, which has been transformed to a paradise planted with vegetables, fruit and ornamentals.
The design respects the heritage of the site, yet is progressive and exciting. Each time I visit, I learn something new. Open from April to October but June is a lovely time to see the collection of old-fashioned roses.
Bedbury Lane, Freshwater Bay, Isle of Wight PO40 9PE. Tel 01983 752500, farringford.co.uk
Chosen by Tom Brown
High Beeches
High Beeches is quite close to Gravetye with a charm of its own and packed with treasures. The stunning wildflower meadows are some of the best in the area, and the beautiful water gardens and woodland plantings are always an inspiration, with mouth-watering specimen trees at every corner.
It was a former home of the Loder family, with the heart of the garden created by Colonel Giles Loder in the early 1900s (at the same time as the family was developing the gardens at Wakehurst and Leonardslee in West Sussex).
In 1943, the manor house was destroyed by a British bomber that crashed while returning from a raid. Giles survived and moved next door to continue gardening the site until his death in 1967. The garden was then bought by Edward and Anne Boscawen, who avidly collected and grew many new trees from seed.
Today the garden is managed by their daughter Sarah and her team, who continue to care for this beautiful landscape that has been so well gardened for many generations.
The garden is glorious at any time of year, but one of the highlights is early June when stands of Loderi Group rhododendrons flower alongside carpets of orchids in the meadows.
High Beeches Lane, Handcross, West Sussex RH17 6HQ. Tel 01444 400589, highbeeches.com
Chosen by Tom Brown
Beth Chatto's Plants and Gardens
If you’ll excuse a little self-promotion, June is a one of the best months to visit us here at Beth Chatto’s Plants & Gardens, with all the plants giving their best.
Beth Chatto’s Plants & Gardens, Clacton Road, Elmstead Market, Colchester, Essex CO7 7DB. Tel 01210 822007, bethchatto.co.uk
Chosen by Åsa Gregers-Warg
Jekka's Herb Farm
When she was no longer able to attend the Chelsea Flower Show, Beth was always keen to hear all about the displays of her two favourite nurseries – Carol Klein’s and Jekka McVicar’s. Jekka, the official Queen of Herbs, has an encyclopedic knowledge of growing and using herbs, and this month you can visit her nursery at one of the many Herb Days and Open Days she hosts.
Jekka’s Herb Farm, Rose Cottage, Shellards Lane, Alveston, Bristol BS35 3SY. Tel 01454 418878, jekkas.com
Chosen by Åsa Gregers-Warg
Hannah Peschar Sculpture Garden
I must confess I hadn’t heard of Hannah Peschar Sculpture Garden until fairly recently. Tucked away in a woodland valley at the foot of Leith Hill, Surrey, this hidden gem (it’s easy to miss the entrance sign) beautifully explores the synergy between art and nature. The garden, which can be described as a controlled wilderness guided by a gentle hand, was designed and planted by the founder’s husband, renowned landscape designer Anthony Paul.
The combination of lush planting, with an emphasis on texture and form, and water, provides a tranquil setting for the carefully curated exhibition of contemporary art. It struck me how the balance between the two has found that sweet spot where neither the sculptures nor plants dominate or fight for attention. Instead, much care has gone into placing the pieces where they complement and enhance one another. An inspiring and unique place.
Open between April and October. Tickets must be pre-booked. Hannah Peschar Sculpture Garden, Black and White Cottage, Standon Lane, Ockley, Dorking, Surrey RH5 5QU. Tel 01306 627269, hannahpescharsculpture.com
Chosen by Åsa Gregers-Warg
Looking for more luxurious getaways? We've listed our favourite hotels with gardens to visit in the UK.
