Bath and the Cotswolds Feature

Perhaps it's the sheer beauty of this area that has inspired the creation of so many superb gardens. Gardening is an English passion, and even nongardeners may be tempted by the choices large and small. Here's a guide to your options.

Hidcote Manor Garden. The Arts and Crafts movement in Britain transformed not only interior design but also the world of gardening; in this large, influential, much-visited masterpiece of the style, hedges and walls set off vistas and surround distinct themed garden rooms.

Kiftsgate Court Gardens. Three generations of women gardeners created this intimate but charming garden that has traditional and modern features with harmonious colors.

Painswick Rococo Garden. This 18th-century garden, with its Gothic screen and other intriguing structures, has a pleasant intimacy; it's a rare survivor of the rococo style.

Rodmarton Manor. Here you can tour an Art and Crafts-style house and notable garden rooms that reflect this style.

Sezincote. England wouldn't be England without a touch of eccentricity, and in the Cotswolds the garden at this Indian-style manor, with its temple to a Hindu god, supplies a satisfying blend of the stately and the exotic.

Sudeley Castle. In England, gardens often complement a stately home and deserve as close a look as the house. At the home of Catherine Parr (Henry VIII's last wife), the 19th-century Queen's Garden is beloved for its roses.

Westonbirt National Arboretum. The magnificent collection of trees here spreads over 600 acres; late spring and fall are colorful.