10 best coastal gardens to visit

Seaside gardens: bleak beauty

Prospect Cottage, Dungeness, Kent

The late Derek Jarman found this fisherman's shack when he was filming on the beach here in 1986, and was attracted by the sheer desolation of the Ness. Although neither cottage nor garden is offi cially open to the public, there are no fences, so it is possible to wander around at will and look at planting set among driftwood and metal sculptures. Native seaside plants, such as sea kale, bugloss and poppies, grow through the shingle along with grey-leafed Mediterranean shrubs, such as lavender, rosemary and santolina.

Photo: Ron Strutt