Its gardens are already famous in the island, but now Milntown has reached a crowning achievement as it gained royal status.

The gardens have been awarded Royal Horticultural Society partner status after completing a rigorous application process.

To achieve the status, the Milntown gardens, tended to by a team led by head gardener Adam Quayle, had to meet a host of specific requirements.

The status of partner garden is only shared among 200 independent gardens at any one time and alongside the publicity, also means RHS members can visit the gardens for free at certain times.

The RHS says: ’Whether formal landscape, late-season borders or woodland, all partner gardens offer inspiration to keen gardeners through high standards of design and/or planting. Many are well known, some less so, resulting in a stimulating mix of styles that visitors should find interesting throughout the gardening year.’

The RHS receives many applications each year to become a partner garden, with only a few, who are working to the highest horticultural standards, meeting the exacting criteria.

Mr Quayle said: ’It is an absolutely brilliant achievement that we are now an RHS partner garden.

’The fact that a small private charity can achieve such an award is testament to everyone who works so hard to make Milntown what it is.’

He added: ’The gardens have now been open to the public for 10 years and they are still undergoing considerable development. I can’t wait to see what we achieve in the next 10 years.

’It is great to be part of a project that is in the community for the community. This is a first for the Isle of Man and puts the island on the list of special gardens in the British Isles.’

The Milntown Gardens, set inside a 15-acre estate with mansion and cafe, are now free to enter for RHS members on Wednesday and Thursday.