Parterre

The formal gardens at Parterre are a proper slice of English horticultural tradition, all geometric beds and clipped hedges arranged with the kind of precision that makes you wonder how the gardeners manage it without losing their minds. You're looking at the sort of place where every plant knows its place and wanders off at its peril.

It's the kind of visit that appeals most to garden enthusiasts and anyone with patience for the finer points of landscape design. If your idea of a good time is spotting topiary mistakes or debating whether the box hedging could be trimmed just a fraction tighter, you'll find hours disappearing here. Families with very young children might find twenty minutes enough before the 'are we done yet' starts up.

The nearest settlement is Botswicky Copse, which isn't exactly going to distract you with nightlife but does sit within reasonable reach of the broader Berkshire countryside. If you're basing yourself at Lorne Hill Farm - a five-star spot just over six miles away - Parterre works as a half-day activity that breaks up a longer stay without demanding the kind of mental stamina required for stately homes.

The gardens reward a slow pace. Bring a book, settle on a bench if there are any, and let the formality wash over you. It's not dramatic or show-stopping, but it's undeniably well-tended and the sort of place that grows on you the longer you stay. Worth the detour if you're in the area, though perhaps not worth planning an entire day around it.