Dorneywood Garden

Dorneywood is the country residence traditionally given to a senior government minister, and its six-acre 1930s-style garden near Burnham is the part the public sees most easily. After a fire in 1910 the house was bought in 1919 by Courtauld Thomson, who employed the architect Sir Robert Lorimer to extend it, and lived here with his sister, the artist Winifred Hope Thomson. In 1942 the family gave the house and its contents to the National Trust for the use of a Minister of the Crown, and Anthony Eden was the first politician to take up residence. It is managed by the Dorneywood Trust and opens only on select days: the house is seen in booked timed slots, while the garden needs no booking. Herbaceous borders, a cottage garden and a lily pond fill the garden, and reviewers mention the butterflies and bees and the home-made cakes from the tea stall. Tips from visitors: house places go early, so book well ahead, and there is plenty of parking. The Trust notes that photography is not allowed and paths are uneven in places.