These beautiful gardens lie just west of Cardiff and north of Barry. The history of the Dyffryn Estate dates back to the 7th Century but the present house was built by John Cory in 1893 and the gardens, designed by Thomas Mawson, were laid out soon after. In 1939, the then owner leased the estate to Glamorgan County Council for 999 years. The house is currently empty but the gardens are being restored to their original with Lottery funds. They are a mix of wide formal gardens and smaller intimate sections, including the magnificent herbaceous border seen here.