Gardens with amazing topiary

In a hidden valley in the Cotswolds, Owlpen has quietly weathered the centuries, thanks to committed custodians, including its present owners, who have worked hard to ensure that its gardens remain as spellbinding as ever

On the edge of the Cumbrian fells, where conditions are challenging and often unpredictable, a talented plantswoman has brought year-round interest to the surroundings of her Tudor house with a clear vision, a sense of place and an inspired interpretation of the art of topiary

An inspiring sense of complete peace pervades the garden of Le Prieuré de Vauboin, an old priory in Sarthe, in western France, following its medieval-inspired conversion into a green sanctuary defined by formal parterres and a spectacular array of box topiary

Having grown up amid the gloriously untamed romance of Beckley Park in Oxfordshire, Amanda Feilding has a deep-rooted connection with its maze of topiary and rose gardens, patinaed pathways and still, dark waters, which themselves exude a soulful, atmospheric presence

Created by Arts and Crafts architect Robert Weir Schultz, the garden at this Hampshire barn conversion features his original topiary, enhanced by the current owner’s borders of cottage-garden classics, and the addition of a fernery and a spectacular camellia walk

Fabric designer Richard Smith and his husband Andrew Blackman have spent nearly two decades creating distinct spaces that fit with the surrounding nature reserve

Spring is a glorious time in the gardens of Badminton House, as myriad varieties of tulip flood the estate with captivating colour combinations

Inspired by a lone topiary bird, the gift of a pruning saw and a formative fortnight spent at Sissinghurst, Sarah Vermont has transformed her Essex garden and a neighbouring orchard into a magnificent spectacle, filled with enchanting shapes that come to life at this time of year.

In this extract from their book Winter Gardens, Clare Foster and the photographer Andrew Montgomery explore the gardens at Mapperton in Dorset, where the interplay of architecture and formal topiary is brought into relief by colder weather

From mushrooms to cinnamon buns and mitres to Toto the dog, the topiary that populates Louise and Fergus Dowding’s Somerset garden is an ever-changing extravaganza of shapes and characters, which look especially enchanting covered in winter’s frosts

In an extract from Clare Foster's latest book, ‘Winter Gardens’, a collaboration with the photographer Andrew Montgomery, she explores the wonderful topiary garden of a Hampshire manor house

At historic Longford Castle in Wiltshire, home to an art collection of national significance, it seems fitting that in its latest incarnation the formal walled garden has been designed to create a series of charming vignettes throughout the year, unified by a glorious painterly planting scheme