REVEALED: Where is Dorset's best pub garden?
The winner of this year's CAMRA award has been chosen
West Dorset's Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) has named their Pub Garden of the Year.
The Award for 2023 goes to The White Lion at Bourton near Gillingham.
Judges gave the traditional English garden top marks - coming ahead of competitors including past winners of the coveted prize.
CAMRA's described the White Lion as having 'a fine example of a traditional English garden' with an abundance of roses and a pagoda shelter draped with wisteria.
The hillside garden also includes a patio with water feature, mowed lawns, a chicken and duck run, and disabled access highlighted as 'excellent'.
Publicans Stuart Knowles and William Smith own the White Lion, spending a lot of time and effort on the outside spaces of the pub. Stuart said:
”Our vision was to run a country village pub with our own style, where our guests can relax in the garden with a cool drink and quite literally smell the roses. Over the years we have set ourselves summer challenges to add to our interest in our outside rooms, this year we added a rose covered arch, always with advice from our locals."
William said:
”Life in the pub trade is stressful; our answer is to come outside into the garden and for a brief moment escape. Our pot like our beer is frothing over, with colour and fragrances all year round. We also grow herbs which we use in our food.”
West Dorset CAMRA Chairman Bruce Mead said:
“The White Lion was a clear winner in our pub garden of the year competition, with all of the judges having it in first place. It was great to see the broad smiles on Stuart and William's faces as they accepted the award, which is thoroughly deserved for all the hard work they have put into creating such a fantastic garden.”