Chippenham Park

Stunning daffodil and snowdrops displays in spring have made Chippenham Gardens a must-see for horticultural fans in and around Cambridgeshire. These gorgeous grounds have been the setting for idyllic country strolls since the 16th century when Elizabeth I knighted the local lord of the manor and a succession of owners have added to the rich plantlife ever since. In summer a riot of roses populate the gardens and visitors can throw on their wellies and walk through the Wilderness wood, its shrubs and bruised purple berrying trees particularly lovely in autumn. Look out for the newly created formal garden in the old kitchen garden, lined with pleached pears and beech hedging and set apart from the rest of the grounds with a giant arched colonnade of Leylandii. When you're feeling peckish, make a beeline for the Potting Shed Café set in the old kitchen garden, open all day, serving food for both winter and summer - home-produced sausages, soup and rolls, freshly-made cakes, tea, coffee and other refreshments, inside in front of a warm log-burning stove, or sitting outside in the sun.