Abbotsbury'S popular Sub-Tropical Gardens have been chosen as one of the filming locations for a new BBC period drama.

Camera crews will be on site on August 27 because the exotic plants at Abbotsbury most closely reflect the planting around the Governor's House on the Mandarin Islands, a fictional tropical setting in Anthony Trollope's novel He Knew He Was Right.

A star-studded cast includes actor Geoffrey Palmer, James Bolam, John Alderton, Bill Nighy and Patsy Palmer.

Geoffrey Palmer will be filming at Abbotsbury with Geraldine James, Christina Cole, Laura Frazer and Oliver Dimsdale.

Among scenes from the novel being shot at Abbotsbury are the gardens of the Governor's House and another scene where lovers meet for the first time by a stream in the garden.

Abbotsbury Tourism boss John Houston was delighted at the BBC's visit.

He said: "They had investigated us through our website and then asked if they could come down and see the gardens for themselves because they were looking for a tropical location.

"I showed them round and once they had seen the plants we had they were over the moon at their suitability. It was just what they were looking for."

The BBC will be setting themselves up at the Gardens next Tuesday ready for a full day's filming when visitors will be allowed to see them in action provided they watch quietly from a distance.

Events are set in the 1860s and focus on a man's gradual deterioration through jealousy and his increasing isolation from both society and reality.

Mr Houston said: "It is wonderful to have the BBC here and being shown on television won't do the gardens any harm." The visit by the BBC is only the latest in a series of film crews to visit the area.

Four weeks ago a German film crew were at the Swannery doing scenes for a screen version of a book by author Rosamunde Pilcher.