John and Sue Cushing are justly proud of the gardens at their red-brick Georgian manor house, the creation of John’s late mother, Helen, who brought forth such order and beauty from a wilderness. While guests can explore the walled garden, rose terrace, parterre, wildflower garden and herbal walkways all year round, from March to October the public can visit with RHS partner gardens, and maybe take lunch on the rose terrace. Deep in dairy country, the hotel offers a choice of individually styled rooms, from ‘cosy’ (not poky) to spacious, all supplied with fresh milk in a fridge, bottled water and homemade cookies. The largest, the Goldstone Chamber, has a hand-built oak bed, a bath for two and walk-in power shower. In the restaurant, home-grown produce features in dishes such as crab, wild garlic and salmon tart, fennel slaw, capers; mushroom tortellini, chard, tomato sauce; venison, beetroot, chimichurri. Breakfast brings Goldstone apple juice, homemade preserves and compotes, home-baked bread, smoked haddock, local free-range farm eggs. One trusted reader had difficulty booking, another writes of ‘friendly but inattentive service’ – still, everything in the garden is lovely.