Best country gardens to visit in spring and summer
Britain’s country gardens flourish in spring and summer – experience floral bliss with some of our favourites
In spring and summer, few days out can beat a trip to a beautiful country garden.
Here are some of our favourites, from coastal terraced gardens to Italianate marvels
Coleton Fishacre, South Devon
Step off the ferry and take a stroll along Devon’s South West Coast Path to the verdant gardens of a 20th-century estate, home to exotic ferns, trickling water features and woodland glades. Find out more
Parcevall Hall Gardens, North Yorkshire
The bountiful terraces, sweeping views and mossy woodlands of Parcevall’s hillside gardens rejoice in spring and summer with vibrant colours, floral fragrances and stirring birdsong. Find out more.
Pensthorpe Gardens, Norfolk
Set amid the flat farmland of the North Norfolk countryside is Pensthorpe Natural Park, home to one of Britain’s most radiant summer gardens. Find out more.
Rowallane Garden, County Down
Escape the crowds and and seek solace in one of Northern Ireland’s most beautiful and magical country gardens. Find out more.
Iford Manor, Wiltshire
Iford’s Italianate gardens in Wiltshire unite the natural and the managed, creating a charming blend of time-worn sculptures, perfume-scented lilac wisteria and flower-hemmed walkways. Find out more.
Scotland’s Garden Route, Galloway
The Rhins of Galloway in south-west Scotland is home to some of Britain’s most spectacular county gardens – discover six of the best with Scotland’s Garden Route. Find out more.
Dyffryn Fernant Garden, Pembrokeshire
Few places blend with the landscape quite like Dyffryn – explore these pretty gardens in Pembrokeshire National Park then step into the hills for a seven-mile loop walk. Find out more.
Herterton House Gardens, Northumberland
Early summer is the perfect time to experience the intimate artistry of this small but much-acclaimed rural Northumbrian garden, designed around a derelict 16th-century farmyard. Find out more.
Sheringham Park, Norfolk
Close to the reputable Humphry Repton’s home in the village of Sustead is Sheringham Park, perhaps the best-preserved example of the Englishman’s work. The gardens include a variety of habitats, such as Bower pond, which bursts into life in summer with azure damselflies and broad-bodied chaser dragonflies. Find out more here.
Antony Woodland Garden, Cornwall
These gardens are split into two areas, the Wilderness and West Down. The former – a wooded slope rolling down to the River Lynher – was designed by Humphry Repton and his friend Reginald Pole-Carew. Find out more here.
Attingham Park, Shropshire
A circular trail through Attingham Park, nicknamed the ‘Repton Ramble’, offers visitors a flavour of the harmonious landscapes that the designer envisaged for the 18th-century mansion and estate. The loop includes a stop at The Repton Oak, a tree planted by Humphry Repton himself. Find out more here.
Woburn Abbey, Bedfordshire
Open to the public since 1955, the gardens at Woburn Abbey are a great place to go for day out in the sun. A particular highlight is the reconstructed Cone House, originally designed as a platform from which the Duke of Bedford, his family and their guests could safely watch the wild animals of their menagerie. Find our more here.
Hatchlands Park, Surrey
National Trust gardeners deserve great credit for their efforts at Hatchlings Park, most recently with the planting of oaks, sweet chestnuts, limes and hornbeams. The gardens was partly landscaped by the famous designer Humphry Repton. Find out more here.
Tatton Park, Cheshire
The appearance of Tatton Park owes itself to the work of Humphry Repton. A stroll through the park’s beech-lined avenues is well worth it and, in June, you can take part in a Repton-themed cycle ride. Find out more here.
Uppark House and Garden, West Sussex
This property was graced by the hands of both Repton and ‘Capability’ Brown. In the summer months, the café sets up tables and chairs on the grass with views out over the South Downs National Park. Find out more here.
Main image: ©Alamy
