These beautiful gardens are famed for their ornamental grasses, and autumn is one of the best times of the year to visit
Just outside of Wimborne Minster you'll find the spectacular Knoll Gardens, a rural oasis for both flora and fauna in the heart of the Dorset countryside - the four-acre site is home to an internationally renowned collection of ornamental grasses, spectacular flowering borders and a mini Arboretum that is full of rare and unusual trees, which will burst into colour in the coming months. As a result, it's an idyllic spot for spending a sunny autumnal afternoon.
This year Knoll Gardens are celebrating a landmark 25 years since the arrival of the current owner, Neil Lucas. The acclaimed plantsman is responsible for transforming Knoll Gardens into the thriving environment that it is today, and he has been able to utilise his skills to mimic nature and create plant communities that flourish all year round. Neil has also showcased how to plant grasses to beautiful effect and in doing so he has demonstrated a new route to an affordable, low-maintenance, wildlife friendly and truly sustainable garden - thanks to Neil's work, Knoll Gardens is as much a place for wildlife as it is for human visitors and plants.
And as if this wasn't enough, he is also responsible for starting the Knoll Gardens Foundation, a charity which works with UK gardeners to help them to make their gardens as low-impact and as wildlife-friendly as possible.
Celebrations will culminate in Knoll Gardens' Festival of Grasses this autumn, a brand new event which highlights not only Neil's momentous achievements, but the fascinating versatility of these plants and all that they have to offer to both people and the environment.
Also as part of the celebrations, Knoll Gardens are kindly offering 50 Dorset Magazine readers the chance to win a pair of tickets that would give free entry to the gardens - all you need to do is answer the below question via the online entry form, and winners will then be chosen randomly from all correct answers. Tickets will be valid for approximately 12 months, with an expiry date of 30 September 2020.
The gardens are open from Tuesdays to Saturdays, and are closed on Sundays and Mondays except from Bank Holiday Mondays; they will also close between December 20 2019 and February 4 2020. Please note that opening times are also weather dependent, so do check ahead if the forecast isn't great. Find out more by visiting their website.
Good luck!
