Hinton Ampner, Hampshire - Nick Brooks

Best known for its fine gardens, Hinton Ampner is an elegant country house with an outstanding collection of furniture, paintings and objets d'art. The house was extensively remodelled after a traumatic fire in 1960 by its final owner, Ralph Dutton, 8th and last Lord Sherborne, who also created the gardens. With their crisply manicured lawns and fine topiary, the gardens cleverly combine formal design with informal planting. The walled garden, currently being turned back into a productive area, is a popular attraction with a thriving and extensive vegetable plot.