Knoll Gardens and Nursery, near Wimborne

Evoking nature's profuse spontaneity, Knoll Garden's meadow-style drifts merge almost seamlessly across its 4-acre garden. From sunny perennial meadows to prairie style and tough easy-care, green lawn substitutes, the garden provides an abundance of practical planting ideas in an inspirational environment that also offers a haven for rest and relaxation.

Knoll's owner, Neil Lucas is the UK's leading authority on ornamental grasses. Best-selling author, RHS Council Member and Senior Judge, his guiding principles are key to the garden's continuing evolution. Amongst its framework of rare and unusual trees and shrubs Neil has threaded an abundance of grasses and flowering perennials to spectacular effect. These robust planting schemes are all chosen to suit existing growing conditions and mimic nature, creating thriving low-maintenance plant communities. With stunning good looks, Neil's relaxed naturalistic gardening style is also beneficial to wildlife.

Anyone looking to bring nature into their own garden will find themselves spoilt for ideas at Knoll. Neil's Mediterranean-style gravel garden is regularly featured in the national press: his Sunny Meadow, an adaptation of a traditional English meadow more suited to smaller English gardens has also received national interest. It uses plants from Knoll's own range to create a mini-meadow producing an amazing amount of flower throughout the season. Neil planted a new sedge meadow in 2016. Taking his inspiration from the Californian style, it showcases the pure effects of soft green foliage when seen en masse whilst the garden as a whole provides the perfect location to see the plants grown in Knoll's Chelsea Gold Medal-winning nursery at their best.

Knoll's event programme includes walks, workshops, plant fairs and masterclasses and all visitors receive a tree trail, highlighting some of the rarer specimens within Knoll's mini-arboretum. Knoll's Chelsea Gold Medal-winning nursery sells many of the plants found within the garden.

Facilities

-Self-service drinks 

-Toilets

-Free car parking