Shandy Hall Gardens

The former home of Laurence Sterne, author of Tristram Shandy, is a joy to visit at this time of year. The house itself, which is in the lovely village Coxwold in North Yorkshire, dates back to 1430 and has been continuously lived in for the past 600 years by various families who have each changed and developed the gardens.

The gardens have wildlife at their very heart with a huge variety of plants, shrubs and trees. A small sign and some steps down from the West Garden take you to the Wild Garden, a gloriously untamed acre of land, created from an old stone quarry with mown paths weaving their way amongst the trees; benches to sit a while and a small shed that is a hub for recording the 450 species of moths that have been recorded here.