Gardens & parks
We care for more than 200 gardens and parks. From small secret hideaways and kitchen gardens to landscaped lawns, beautiful borders and acres of parkland. We’ve reopened many of our gardens and parks so you can see them blooming in their colourful glory.
Roses at our places
Alba
Dating to the Middle Ages, Alba roses can be white, pink or blush ('alba' means 'white' in Latin). Pictured here is Rosa 'Félicité Parmentier' at Llanerchaeron, Ceredigion, Wales.
Centifolia
Centifolia, or the 'hundred petal' rose, is a late 16th-century Dutch variety. Rosa 'Muscosa' at Mottisfont, Hampshire is a sport from which most 'moss' roses are derived, so named because of the resinous hairs that cover the buds.
Chartwell's 'Peace' rose
The hybrid tea rose 'Peace' has been described as 'perhaps the best known and one of the most loved roses of all times.' 'Peace' changes colour depending on soil and climate, but it is typically a warm yellow, tinged with pink.
Rosa 'Graham Thomas'
Named after the Trust's first Gardens Adviser, this yellow rose has a light tea fragrance. At Mottisfont in Hampshire, Thomas created one of the most celebrated and beautiful rose gardens in the world.
Rosa 'Mme Hardy'
Rosa 'Mme Hardy', a white Damask rose, is a variety dating to 1832 that was first grown in the Luxembourg Gardens in France. It's shown here growing at Mottisfont in Hampshire.
Rosa gallica 'versicolor'
Tthe candy-striped Rosa gallica 'versicolor' growing at Greys Court, Henley-on-Thames. Also called 'Rosa mundi', this rose may have grown in ancient Pompeii.
Gardens through the ages
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.
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.
Discover The Secret Garden film locations
Since it was published in 1910, Frances Hodgson Burnett’s novel The Secret Garden has bewitched generations of children and adults alike. The star-studded film adaptation released on Sky Cinema in October 2020 breathed new life into the tale. Discover how places in our care proved the perfect settings for this retelling of the evergreen children’s classic.
