Gardens to visit in the North East

Soak up the sights and sounds of autumn as gardens around the North East put on their final show. Explore the colourful conservatory in Wallington's walled garden, look for fruit, fungi and nuts at Washington Old Hall or take in the changing colours in the parterre at Seaton Delaval Hall.

The Rock Garden at Cragside, Northumberland

Explore the gardens at Cragside  

Explore the Formal Gardens, Pinetum and Rock Garden at Cragside and see how Lord and Lady Armstrong experimented with plants, trees and water on a gigantic scale to create Cragside’s vast landscape. In autumn, the Rock Garden goes a fiery red colour as the hydrangeas turn for the winter and there's still colour in the Formal Garden, with dahlias blooming until the first frosts. Don't miss the autumn colour walk between the Iron Bridge and the Formal Garden - you’ll see the trees glowing in vibrant oranges and reds.

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A family explore the walled garden at wallington in autumn

Discover Wallington's secret garden 

Take a stroll through the changing colours of the tranquil East Wood to discover Wallington's Walled Garden, an ornamental garden hidden behind high walls at the bottom of a woodland valley. It's full of interest all year round - late blooming flowers, such as toad lily, nerine, cyclamen and colchicum add splashes of pink to the mainly golden tones around at this time of year, while the dahlias on the Hot Border outside the Edwardian conservatory will bloom right up to the first frost. Inside, the warm conservatory is home to colourful plants and scent all year round.

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Changing colours in Seaton Delaval Hall's parterre

Explore Seaton Delaval Hall's dramatic landscape 

Enjoy the beauty of the gardens at Seaton Delaval Hall - stroll through the autumnal colours in the parterre, see the Ginkgo biloba with its bright yellow autumn leaves and and explore the wider Vanbrugh landscape. Visit the newly-created South East Garden to discover new paths and views across the estate, along with two intriguing, playful installations – the Mirror Cube and Dark Matter Cube – or take in the the crunchy leaves and changing colours of the North West woodland.

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Visitor walking towards the chapel at Gibside in autumn

Discover an eighteenth-century landscaped garden at Gibside 

Created by 18th-century coal magnate George Bowes, Gibside is a Georgian landscape garden designed to amaze and astound. Escape the hustle and bustle of modern life within acres of gardens, woodland and countryside, with miles of walking trails, terraces with far-reaching views, a grand ruin and plenty of wildlife. Stroll down the Avenue through the autumnal trees, saturated in rusty oranges and crimson reds, or wander round the walled garden, where heritage apples, plums and pumpkins will be ripening.

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Visitors in the Orchard at Washington Old Hall, Tyne & Wear

Explore Washington Old Hall's historic gardens  

Autumn is a great time to visit the gardens at Washington Old Hall. Explore the symmetrical topiary of the parterre, meander to the bird hide and watch the birds come and go or explore the nuttery as the fruit, fungi and nuts all begin to make an appearance.

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Family sat on a bench in the garden

Relax in Ormesby Hall's garden  

Just a stone's throw from Middlesbrough, the formal gardens of the Pennyman's family home are a peaceful retreat and are full of vibrant, warming colours at this time of year as the leaves turn golden and red. You can't miss the magnificent ancient copper beech tree as you enter the garden. Look out for splashes of colours from rosehips, autumn crocuses and late flowering shrubs, along with a second flush of delphiniums, and the emerging scented clerodendron bush and bright purple colchicum.

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A visitor in the Jekyll Garden at Lindisfarne Castle

The Gertrude Jekyll garden at Lindisfarne Castle  

Once the holiday home of Edward Hudson, founder of Countrylife magazine, Lindisfarne Castle's walled garden was created by celebrated Arts and Crafts garden designer Gertrude Jekyll. Designed to look its best during summer, when Hudson's guests would be staying, there's still colour into September, with gladioli and sedum adding to the blooms, and the garden remains a sheltered oasis all year round.

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The Gertrude Jekyll Garden near Lindisfarne Castle, Northumberland Play Video