Furzey Gardens

The gardens were planted out with a rare collection of Rhododendrons, trees and shrubs in the 1920s. Having later fallen into disrepair the gardens were restored and placed into the care of a charitable trust (The Furzey Gardens Charitable Trust, registered number 271485) in the 1970s. Following this an art and craft gallery and tea-rooms were built and the gardens extensively replanted. It is recorded that more than £7,000 was spent on grubbing out the rough gorse and importing tons of good topsoil before putting in often rare rhododendrons and azaleas. Other notable plants include many Embothrium coccineum, the tender and spectacular Chilean fire bushes that present a fantastic picture in May, their spidery, scarlet tubular flowers blazing with colour. Many acid-loving trees such as the tall eucryphias, of which there are several species, all with pure white, scented flowers from late July, were also planted, as were bulbs and plants which largely look after themselves, such as foxgloves; wild strawberries, anemones and little orchids.