Dyffryn Gardens

Dyffryn Gardens is a Grade I listed Edwardian garden of 55 acres in the Vale of Glamorgan, laid out from 1906 by designer Thomas Mawson for owner and horticulturalist Reginald Cory, after coal magnate John Cory had built the Victorian mansion on the site. Themed garden rooms run from the Italianate Pompeiian Garden to the rainforest feel of the Exotics Garden, with a productive walled kitchen garden, a 22-acre arboretum, a glasshouse of cacti, succulents and vines, and the South Lawn with its water features. The house is mostly closed for restoration, with an exhibition in the Morning Room. Dogs are welcome on short leads and the shop sells doggy ice cream; children head for the two Log Stack wooden play areas. Reviewers like the flat, pushchair-friendly paths, the wisteria in late spring and the friendly staff in both cafes. Tips from regulars: bring a picnic and allow around four hours to see everything, and pre-book the free mobility scooter if you need it.