Stowe
Visitor information
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© John Millar
One of our most beautiful views
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© John Millar
Walk in grand gardens to your heart's content
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© National Trust
Enjoy the lakeside walks, wooded valleys and open vistas
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© John Millar
Wildlife, walks and beautiful views
Breathtakingly beautiful landscape gardens
The scale, grandeur and beauty of Stowe has inspired writers, philosophers, artists, politicians and members of the public from the 18th century to the present day.
One of the most remarkable creations of Georgian England, Stowe was created by a family once so powerful they were richer than the king.
Since the National Trust acquired the gardens in the late 1980s, an ambitious programme of restoration has ensured that over 40 temples and monuments remain, gracing an inspiring backdrop of lakes and valleys with an endless variety of walks and trails, a delight to explore at any time of year.
50 things to do before you're 11 ¾
Take part in '50 things' at Stowe
With acres of open space to play in, an outdoor adventure is always around the next tree, hedge or pond here at Stowe.
You can pick up a free 50 things scrapbook as well as our very own free explorer’s map. It shows the best places at Stowe to do 26 of the 50 things, as well as 24 of our own special challenges.
Summer is here
The Grecian Valley is filled with a wide range of stunning wild flowers
Discover some of the beautiful flowers that bloom every summer here at Stowe:
- Rose campion – An easy and reliable perennial with intensely rich magenta flowers
- Bladdernut – A deciduous, multi-stemmed suckering shrub with unusual fruit
- Scotch rose – A very thorny native rose with heavenly-scented white flowers in the summer
- Cranesbill – A herbaceous perennial with delicate white flowers, often used in herbal medicines due to its antibacterial properties
- Bristly locus – A lovely and vigorous suckering shrub native to the United States
- Siberian iris – This vibrant purple iris is the parent plant of many a hybrid that you may have in your garden