A SECTION of the perimeter wall that surrounds the historic walled garden at The Garden House, Buckland Monachorum, collapsed overnight earlier this month due to torrential rainfall.

The ancient wall is thought to date from around the 16th century and rebuilding expenses are expected to be costly.

A spokesperson for The Garden House said losing part of the eastern wall of the garden had saddened the trustees, staff and visitors, but there was considerable relief that the damage has had minimal impact upon the garden itself, which remains open daily to visitors.

The Garden House, one of the country's finest gardens, affiliated to the RHS, receives national acclaim for its exquisite planting of more than 6,000 varieties of plants.

Incredibly, this year's record rainfall and below average temperatures have done nothing to prevent one of the most dazzling displays of summer colour ever seen at The Garden House.