Gardens & parks

We have more than 200 wonderful gardens to explore and enjoy. Beautiful flower gardens, impressive landscape parks and space for you and your family to relax

Tropical garden
Dovecot at Felbrigg seen through the arch

Summer gardens near you 

With vibrant displays of flowers and long, warm days, summer is the perfect time to get outside and explore some beautiful gardens. Why not pay a visit to blooming gardens near you, and pick up some tips to use at home?

Visitors at Mottisfont, Hampshire

Fragrant rose gardens 

Take a stroll through one of the many rose gardens in full bloom this summer. There are hundreds of varieties to discover, so you're sure to find at least one you love.

A view of the Pantheon at Stourhead

Our most famous gardens 

We care for hundreds of amazing gardens, but these are the jewels in our crown. Find out why they're so well known.

Luna cinema at Waddesdon Manor, a National Trust property in Buckinghamshire

Outdoor spots for theatre, music and film 

From Shakespeare on stage to jazz on the lawn and Oscar-winning movies on the silver screen, join the outdoor theatre, music and film events at some of the most spectacular places we look after.

Family sharing a picnic

Perfect picnic spots 

Pack a hamper, round up friends and family and enjoy a leisurely summer's day outside. From gardens and historic parkland, to hills with a view, we’ve got plenty of suggestions for where you could unroll a picnic rug and watch the world go by.

Find a perfect picnic spot near you
Children running in the garden at Killerton

Family-friendly gardens 

Planning a day out the whole family will enjoy? Let your children's or grandchildren's imaginations run wild as they explore our gardens.

A child jumping over logs in the wild play area at Dyffryn Gardens, Cardiff, South Wales

Great natural play areas 

Follow willow tunnels or make your very own woodland den in our natural play areas. You can also splash along muddy trails, hang onto rope swings and hunt for treehouses and bug hotels.

Children building a den in the woods

Activities for gardens and parks 

From den building to scavenger hunts, there's plenty of ways to keep the little ones entertained in a garden or park over the summer. Find inspiration with our '50 things to do before you’re 11¾' activities, perfect for connecting kids with nature and for making family memories.

Gardens and parks near you

From walled gardens to landscaped lawns, gardens designed by big names to acres of parkland, we've more than 500 years of history for you to explore.

Discover our gardens and parks
A couple speaking to a gardener during an 'Ask the Gardener' event at Mottisfont

Summer flowers and garden events 

Have you got green fingers? Visit a flower show to see magnificent displays of blooms, get your hands dirty helping our gardeners to plant seeds and flowers, or hear talks from experts on how to care for your own beds and borders.

Find an event near you

Gardens through the ages

Powis Castle, Welshpool
The Pleasure Grounds at Osterley
Orchard House at Cragside
Hidcote Manor garden
Studley Royal Water Garden, Fountains Abbey
The garden at Moseley Old Hall

Stuart Gardens: 1600-early 1700s 

Gardens grew larger during the Stuart period as the influence of French and Dutch formal gardens brought features such as long avenues, terraces and topiary.

Georgian gardens: 1714-1830 

Gardens and parks merged into one during the 18th century to create a British style that would influence gardens across Europe.

Victorian Garden Designs: 1837-1901 

Exotic plants from around the world were brought home to gardens by Victorian collectors. The bright new colours were displayed in more formal garden styles.

20th-century gardens: Edwardian gardens to present day 

The structured 'rooms' that epitomised gardens at the turn of the century were later softened with borders of the many new herbaceous plants being bred.

Medieval gardens: Middle Ages to 1500 

Medieval garden style was dominated by monasteries and manor houses. Herbs were grown for medicine and gardens were an important food source.

Tudor gardens: Henry VII 1485 - Elizabeth I 1603 

The influence of the Renaissance left its mark on the gardens of the Tudors, seen in the inclusion of architectural features. The most recognised feature from this period is the knot garden.

The garden at Overbecks

Gardens by the sea 

There’s something magical about a garden by the sea. Enjoy the warmer climate, tropical plants and winding coastal paths framed by lush vegetation and views over the waters.

Explore a coastal garden
Summer meadow flowers with a bright blue sky

Eight things to spot in a summer meadow 

Find out what you could discover in our meadows this summer, from courting insects to orchids.

Discover more

Garden conservation

Find out more about the work that goes on behind the scenes by our talented garden teams to restore and conserve the gardens you love to visit

What we do

Gardener's tips

Looking after more than 200 gardens has taught us a thing or two, so here our gardeners share some of their tips for a blooming beautiful garden

Pick up some top tips