Voting for the award, which was launched in 1984 is open until August 31 — and you can vote at the Historic Houses website. The winner will be being at the organisation's AGM on November 14.
The six finalists are as follows:
Blair Castle in Perthshire
Hergest Croft Gardens in Herefordshire
Dunvegan Castle on the Isle of Skye
Glenarm Castle Walled Garden in Co Antrim
Mount Stuart on the Isle of Bute
Scampston Walled Garden in North Yorkshire
As well as the overall winner, HH will offer a second, direct award to a garden that it considers ‘embodies excellence on a smaller scale, either of area, staffing or access, and hence has less opportunity to influence the popular poll’; this will be known as the Judge’s Choice Award.
‘The Garden of the Year Award is a great opportunity to recognise and reward the beauty and quality of independent historic gardens,’ says Ursula Cholmeley, chair of the HH gardens committee. ‘The hard work that is put into maintaining and evolving these gardens is undisputed and it’s so important that not only the owners are celebrated, but also the gardeners and volunteer teams who give up their time and effort, day in, day out, to preserve independently owned heritage.
‘These gardens are among the finest in the country and we hope that you will get great pleasure from visiting some of them and voting for your favourite.’
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