A WELL known art historian who used to dine with the Queen Mother has said his wife would have been horrified to hear their much loved gardens in Much Birch have been snubbed by the National Trust.

Sir Roy Strong, a former director of both The National Portrait Gallery and the Victoria and Albert Museum, was going to leave Laskett Gardens to the trust in his will with an endowment of £3million.

But the four acre gardens have been declined by the trust who said they believe setting up a charitable trust would be the better option.

He said he will now change his will to leave the gardens open for a year after his death and then every personal artefact will be removed from the garden.

Sir Roy said: "It was my late wife's expressed desire it should go to the National Trust. I am 80 next year and I am too tired, too old and too exhausted.

"This has dragged on for four years with the National Trust. I can't face any more."

He said the gardens are a memorial to a very happy marriage with his wife, Dr Julia Trevelyan Oman, who passed away in 2003.

Together, over 30 years, they designed the gardens which are open to the public. This year, as part of the National Gardens Scheme, they welcomed 1,200 visitors in one day.

Sir Roy said the trust initially gave the indication they would like the gardens but when he chased it up as his 80th birthday approaches next August he was told they would not be accepting his offer.

He said: "My wife would be horrified.

"I have total right to do with this property as I see fit and the substantial capital that was offered with it."

He said the £3million will be split between the National Portrait Gallery, the Hereford Cathedral and something in memory of his wife.

The garden holds a Victoria and Albert Museum Temple to mark Roy's directorship, an arbour in honour of the Royal Ballet's great choreographer, Sir Frederick Ashton and an armillary sundial in the Jubilee Garden from Sir Cecil Beaton's garden at Broadchalke.

Sir Roy said he is currently creating a triumphal arch to commemorate his 80th birthday and added:"It will go on and be updated and be open to the public. I have loved it being open to the public."

A National Trust spokesman said: “This was a very generous offer but when offered such a gift, our board of trustees considers it against strict acquisition criteria.

“This includes making an assessment of the place’s national and historical significance.

"In this case, we don’t believe the trust needs to acquire the garden in order to secure its future, but feel the establishment of an independent charitable trust would be the best way of protecting this much-loved place.

"We have worked in this way to secure the future of other places and would like to work with Sir Roy to establish such a trust.”