A west Dorset garden is the only in the south west to be shortlisted for a prestigious award.

Mapperton Gardens, near Beaminster, is one of eight in the running for the 2020 Christies and Historic Houses Garden of the Year award.

Lady Sandwich said: “We are so delighted that the gardens have been shortlisted for Historic Houses Garden of the Year award 2020.

“This is a prestigious award and would be a wonderful achievement in this very difficult year. We are running the garden with half our gardening staff and we have all been working incredibly hard to keep it looking good.

“We would love it if people who love the gardens vote for us. We’ve never won this award and I think we really deserve it.”

Mapperton Gardens is open to the public from Sundays to Thursdays. Tickets must be bought in advance at mapperton.com and will be for a specified time slot.

Mapperton House and the Coach House Café are not currently open, but anyone can join the free live stream house tours on Tuesdays at 4pm at mapperton.com/live

To vote, visit mapperton.com/vote. The deadline is September 30.