Everyone has their list of non-negotiables when it comes to buying a house. Beyond the right number of bedrooms, for some, period features drive their search; for others, practical necessities – such as parking, schools and garages – are the boxes that must be ticked. A garden – or at least some outside space – however, ranks universally highly, no matter one’s aesthetic predilections or geography. And, as the memory of lockdown lives indelibly in all of our minds, so do we now attach more importance to our own patches of green space than ever – whether to cultivate gardens worthy of Constance Spry, to have an outside spot for summer dining and reclining, to grow fruit and veg, or to encourage pollinators to make themselves at home on our patch.

While budgets, geographical constraints and horticultural know-how (not to mention time) may mean that postage stamps are more realistic for many of us, we can but dream. And right now, those dreams so happen to be revolving around these houses, all with showstopping gardens.

Main image: The Burroughs, Hausman & Holmes

Cromer Farm, Hertfordshire


Inigo, £2.35m
Cromer Farm, Hertfordshire

A dreamy proposition for anyone with a large family – and none more so than those with equestrian interests. Brimming with character, this Grade II*-listed 4,100sqft farmhouse – which was built circa 1500 – has been wonderfully renovated, striking the ideal note between a relaxed country aesthetic, complete with boot rooms and beams, while also nodding to the tenets of contemporary classic design in its bathrooms and kitchen. However, for many, the main draw comes in the form of the six-acre garden, which features a sun terrace, a vegetable garden and a larger-than-Olympic-size riding arena. Not quite enough? There is a further 12.5 acres of land available via separate negotiation. Find more details here.


Fishpool Street, St Albans, Hertfordshire


Inigo, £1.95m
Fishpool Street, St Albans

Another Inigo home, another Hertfordshire idyll. And yet we could not resist this exquisite Grade II-listed home, which is found within St Albans’ much-coveted conservation area. Understated yet exquisitely renovated, it is a house of dreams, marrying quiet interior restraint with hand-crafted homeliness, all while allowing the sheer beauty of the architecture to breathe. The selling point for us must be the three elegant sash windows which overlook its sublime landscaped garden. For a property within a minute’s walk to the city centre, it is packed with bucolic beauty. The very best of both worlds. Find more details here.


Rushlake Green, East Sussex


Foley & Neville, £2m
Rushlake Green, East Sussex

Sitting right on the slopes of the Weald, a few minutes’ drive from the small village of Rushlake Green, this open-plan, vaulted-ceilinged six-bedroom, 4,420sqft barn is both exceptionally spacious and stylishly appointed. The perfect family home for those who love the great outdoors, its four acres have views that stretch all the way to coast, and contain a private fishing lake, as well as 1,457 sqft two-storey heritage style workshops, home office and garages, two driveways and a separate annex. Just imagine the parties… Find more details here.


The Burroughs, West Hendon


Hausman & Holmes, £949,000
The Burroughs, West Hendon

Built in 1754, this double-fronted four-bedroom Georgian home abounds with character and original features. Grade II-listed, it is both charming and immaculate. What we love most of all, though, is its beautiful garden and cottage-style pathway, flanked by flowers, that leads up the front door, as well as its walled garden at the back. A slice of rural heaven in the city. Find more details here.


Castle Hill, Nether Stowey, Somerset


James Gray Estate Agents, £1.25m
Castle Hill, Nether Stowey, Somerset

Anyone who has ever swooned at the sort of house that might have wandered out of the pages of Jane Austen is likely to have eyes for this five-bedroom, Grade II-listed house in the Quantock Hills. As well as its handsome Georgian bones, it has all manner of useful outbuildings – think a gym, home office and a self-contained cottage – but, what we’re really here for is that walled garden, which contains an acre or so of land. Anyone who dreams of simply opening the back door and letting their lively children run could do that all day long here. Meanwhile, summer parties on the lawn are pretty much a requirement. Find more details here.


Orsett, Essex


Doorsteps, £410,000
Orsett, Essex

For all those longing to parade about a formal garden and yet happen not to be in possession of many millions (alas, alas), it is well to remember the old adage: where there’s a will, there’s a way. A four/five-bed penthouse-sized slice of this handsome Georgian estate, which was built in the 1740s, could be yours, with all the delights yet a fraction of the price tag that would otherwise entail. At the time of writing, interior images were not available. We would be in the market on the basis of the majesty of the garden alone. Glorious. Find more details here.


By Nancy Alsop
September 2021

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