I don’t know about you, but I sometimes get stuck in a rut with my garden, lacking in new ideas or I have a tricky area I just can’t quite figure out what to do with.

It’s more than likely a gardener somewhere has had the same problem and they have tackled it using something I may never of thought of. So other than quizzing my other gardening friends I go and visit a garden for a bit of inspiration.

This was obviously my RHS tutor’s thinking when, many moons ago, he arranged for us to visit Godinton House & Gardens. I had the pleasure of visiting again last week on a beautiful spring morning.

Covering 12 acres the gardens were originally designed by Reginald Blomfield in 1898. With six areas to the garden there is something for everyone.

We started our tour in the Rose Gardens which were busily being dug over then on through the Herbaceous Borders to the Lily Pond edged with huge willows.

Next in contrast to the formality of the pond was the Wild Garden, looking very beautiful with a carpet of daffodils dotted with the nodding heads of fritillaries.

On to the intimate Italian Garden with a Japanese wisteria wrapping itself around the entrance pillars, apparently a curious difference between Chinese and Japanese wisteria is that Chinese vines spiral clockwise while Japanese vines spiral in the opposite direction.

There are plans for a ramp in the pond for the newts that have taken up residence there.

Finally I saw the Walled Garden home to the greenhouses, fruit & vegetables and the delphinium collection with 60 more varieties being added this year to fill the gaps.

On the far wall was an Almond (Prunus dulcis) looking very lovely covered in pink blossom although the almonds, when they arrive, are apparently rock hard and very bitter!

The house and gardens are supporting the National Gardens Scheme with an Open Day on Sunday, March 30 from 1pm to 6pm so perhaps you can use this an excuse to treat Mum and get some inspiration at the same time.

For information see godintonhouse.co.uk