HESTERCOMBE has announced the opening of a 17th-century Water Garden and a new sunflower meadow — with visitors able to pick five sunflowers as part of the entry fee.

The landscaping has been funded by the Countryside Stewardship Scheme, with work to restore the Water Garden starting in 2020.

Following extensive archival research and careful excavation, a wall around the pond and the island in the middle were revealed and subsequently rebuilt.

In the autumn of 2021, the natural spring was reconnected and the pond filled.

Hestercombe also secured funding as part of the LEADER programme, which allowed the gardens to rebuild the summerhouse and boathouse.

The summerhouse is based on a watercolour believed to have been painted by Coplestone Warre Bampfylde which depicts Hestercombe’s 17th-century Water Garden and gave Hestercombe the basis of the design.

In the late nineteenth century, the Portmans dredged the lake and added a boathouse, probably to facilitate duck shooting as ducks were known to be reared in the early 1900s at Combe House by the gamekeeper, Mr Butters.

The foundations of the boathouse, along with a sunken punt, were uncovered during excavations.

The boathouse took design cues from the architecture of Hestercombe House, specifically the original meat store which was constructed in the same era.

The boathouse is built in a horseshoe shape, following the original footings. Alongside the Water Garden, handmade estate railings mark the boundary and were also taken from the original designs found elsewhere on the estate.

Hestercombe Gardens Estates Manager, Warren Leavens, said: “This water garden is just one of a handful left in the UK today, and there are only a couple still open to the public, which is why it was vital that we restored this hidden gem.

"We’re delighted to restore this rare feature and to get it back to its original splendour.

"Hestercombe is unique in having now four complete period gardens on one site, which firmly establishes it as one of the most important heritage gardens in the country.”

Now that it has been restored to its former glory, the punt from the Pear Pond has been relocated to the water garden, and the area is open to visitors from Thursday, August 8.

Visitors will be able to walk the new sunflower meadow leading up to the Water Garden. Entry costs £5 and includes five "pick your own" sunflowers.

This will be open daily from Thursday, August 8, between 11am and 4.30pm. No booking needed, with visitors asked to pay on arrival at Hestercombe’s Ticket Office