Magnolias

Spring at Magnolias garden in Wokingham is when you'll understand why locals keep quiet about this place. The magnolias themselves - ancient specimens with blooms the size of dinner plates in cream, pink, and deep purple - are the real draw, but there's far more garden wrapped around them than you'd expect from a modest Berkshire location.

You're looking at mature woodland borders, specimen trees that have had decades to establish themselves, and the kind of thoughtful planting that suggests someone actually knows what they're doing. It's not a formal showpiece garden - there's a working quality to it - but that's rather the point. This is a proper plantsperson's garden, not a tourist attraction masquerading as one.

Walkers get the most from it. The layout encourages you to wander, to discover what's around the next corner. Children will manage an hour, maybe ninety minutes if they're keen on spotting things. Spring and early summer are the obvious times, though autumn colours can be surprisingly good here too.

Reading's close enough that you could visit Magnolias as a morning stop before exploring Wellington Country Park or California Chalet & Touring Park if you're staying nearby. Neither comparison is particularly apt - Wellington's altogether grander and more manicured - but Magnolias offers something different. It's the sort of garden that rewards a slow walk and a decent camera. Worth the detour if you're anywhere in the area.