Make this year the year you visit Mount Stewart

Make this year the year you visit Mount Stewart in Co. Down – it's never looked better, following the recent completion of a three year, £8 million restoration which has transformed the house and grounds.

As well as replanting the magnificent gardens, the estate's owner, the National Trust, has created a new fernery and bought back the old estate land to increase the size of the property tenfold.

The restored boundaries return several 'lost' features to Mount Stewart's care, including an eight-acre 18th-century walled kitchen garden complete with peach house and vinery housing one of the oldest grapevines in the UK, planted in 1769 and still going strong.

Mount Stewart's gardens were already internationally famous for their ground-breaking use of plants and Italian villa style landscape. They're full of inspiration to take home and try out in your own garden, from the lovely sunken garden to the extraordinary Shamrock garden, full of Irish mythology picked out in intricate topiary pieces clipped from yew.

The latest addition is a 14ft high yew topiary sea monster, created by local artist Terry Dorrian and based on drawings in the margins of the 'Book of Hours' from which Edith, Lady Londonderry drew inspiration for creating Mount Stewart's gardens. For more details visit www.nationaltrust.org.uk/mount-stewart.