Gardens to visit in the North West

Step into blooming gardens at special places in the North West. Take in seasonal spectacles as rhododendrons put on a colourful show or wander through rose gardens and breathe in the bouquet of fragrances. Share with a friend or bring along a good book for a peaceful afternoon on your own.

Family walking dogs

Which places are open and what you need to know before you visit 

We're starting to open some gardens and parklands in England and Northern Ireland at reduced capacity, through advance bookings every week. Most places up to 8 June have sold out. New tickets are released every Friday and we'll continue to add new places over the coming weeks. More than 200 coast and countryside car parks are now open. All houses remain closed for now and all places in Wales remain closed following Welsh Government advice. Read this article to find out what's open and what to expect from your visit.​

How to book your visit
Visitors exploring the garden at Quarry Bank, Cheshire
Quarry Bank   Cheshire

Get lost in the gardens at Quarry Bank

Stroll alongside the meandering river in the lower garden and spot some of our rare rhododendrons in a variety of colours. Take in the sparkling, restored glasshouse surrounded by blooming boarders and fruitful veg patches. In May, visitors will be able to treat their taste buds in the peaceful setting of our a new Garden Café – with so much to explore, one visit just won't be enough.

Take in the colourful views at Quarry Bank
A couple enjoy the sunshine in the garden at Dunham Massey
Dunham Massey   Greater Manchester

An unlocked treasure at Dunham Massey

The gardens at Dunham Massey were once exclusively kept for the Earls and their families, but the winding paths and floral boarders can now be enjoyed by everyone. Take in the tulip displays in April, which will bloom to provide a spectacle of colour, be dazzled by the variety of daffodils and soak up the blue hues of our bluebells carpeting the ground beneath the oak trees. You can also indulge in entertainment with live music events on the lawn during May and June.

Escape to the garden at Dunham Massey
Woman sits reading in the garden at speke
Speke Hall   Liverpool

Glorious gardens at Speke Hall

Purple alliums bursting into life, a hidden oasis in the Secret Garden, a busy Kitchen Garden, and a colourful display of rhododendrons - you'll be spoilt for choice at Speke Hall. The grounds and gardens surrounding this Tudor hall are filled with picture-perfect plants and wildlife. Return in summer for a riot of colour in rose garden, each with their unique names. The lawns are the perfect place to unwind with a book too.

Step into the gardens at Speke Hall
Two visitors stand by Reflection Lake surrounded by rhododendrons, with the house in the background.
Lyme   Cheshire

A place of contrasts at Lyme

Wide-stretching moorland and deer-inhabited parkland greets you as you arrive at Lyme. Step through the house though, and you'll enter another world entirely. The 17-acre garden was carefully etched out of the surrounding woods and moorland by its Georgian residents, providing a great contrast to other parts of Lyme. Look out for spectacular displays of tulips and other spring bulbs in the formal beds near to the Orangery. In late spring, the perennials planted in the Italian garden will be growing back after the winter and putting on a green display before the rhododendrons steal the show in May.

Spend time at Lyme
Visitors in the walled garden at Hare Hill
Hare Hill   Cheshire

A secret to discover at Hare Hill

Open the gate into a secluded walled garden with rare rhododendrons and azaleas in spring, to busy borders displaying unusual varieties of iris, poppy, echinacea, lupin and phlox. There’s plenty to admire in Colonel Brocklehurst’s pride and joy. You can also take a wander round the ponds to spot wildlife returning after recent conservation work. Take some shade under the pergola, relax with Tai Chi on the lawn, or find a peaceful spot to kick back with a book.

Escape daily life at Hare Hill
Visitors enjoying the sunshine in the garden at Rufford Old Hall, Lancashire
Rufford Old Hall   Lancashire

Must-see blooms at Rufford Old Hall

The colourful climbers and boarders at Rufford are nurtured and pruned by a small garden team who make sure the gardens put on a big show. Displays of rhododendrons, daffodils, crocus and bluebells are just some of the spectacles not to be missed, as is the wonderful wisteria that climbs the courtyard wall. Keep an eye out for the topiary which includes two larger-than-life squirrels and take a walk through the North Woods to make some wildlife discoveries, with stunning views across the Lancashire countryside.

Discover a Lancashire gem
Spot the wildlife at Little Moreton Hall
Little Moreton Hall   Cheshire

Small but beautifully formed at Little Moreton Hall

Relax in the orchard at Little Moreton Hall with a cuppa or follow the paths around the moat to spot wildlife come out to play and see what's in bloom. The garden echos the symmetrical shapes of the hall's Tudor design and is planted with herbs and vegetables used for cooking and medicine. At Easter, children can search the garden for clues on a nature themed trail with a chocolate treat awaiting them at the end.

Take a little trip to Little Moreton Hall
A couple walking through the garden at Tatton Park
Tatton Park   Cheshire

Gardens to inspire at Tatton Park

There are plenty of plants in the 50 acres of gardens at Tatton Park to inspire your green fingers. Highlights include the Walled Kitchen Garden, Japanese Garden, Glasshouses and Pleasure Grounds. You can take a tour to find out more, or enjoy a day out bursting with colourful gardening inspiration at the RHS Tatton Flower Show in July.

Celebrate the season at Tatton Park
Azalea amoena in Biddulph Grange Garden

Blooming Biddulph 

Soak up the sights and scents of one of Britain’s most important historic gardens. Spring bulbs will be poking out all around including a magnificent display of tulips throughout the Italian Garden and the famous Dahlia Walk. Go on a nature discovery amid rockwork, topiary, tree-stumps and an extraordinary collection of eclectic garden buildings designed by Bateman and Edward Cooke.

Be inspired at Biddulph Grange Garden
Tulips at Sizergh Castle

Gardens to visit in the Lake District 

The Lakes may be better known for dramatic landscapes than intimate country gardens, but there are some real gems waiting to be explored.

Find a garden to explore in the Lake District