Summer in Sizergh's gardens

Kitchen garden at Sizergh

Soak up the sights and smells of the new season and spend a lazy summer’s afternoon in the gardens.

Beautiful bright borders

There’s always something blooming in the 50m long Herbaceous border, including cephalaria, verbascum and geraniums.

Herbaceous border in full bloom
Herbaceous border at Sizergh in summer
Herbaceous border in full bloom

Bursting with blossom

The Main Orchard at Sizergh contains over 65 different types of apple including many local varieties not found elsewhere in the country. Make sure to stop and listen to the hum of the honey bee whose hives are placed at the far end of the Main Orchard, to make the most of that sunny spot.

Apple blossom in the orchard
Apple blossom in the orchard
Apple blossom in the orchard

Brimming with fresh produce

The ethos of self-sufficiency has always been important to the Strickland family and continues to this day. The small but perfectly formed organic Kitchen Garden provides the café with fresh produce all year round. Our Head Gardener, Susan, creates combinations of vegetables and flowers which are not only productive, but also beautiful, culminating in a colourful display. Just as the Stricklands would have grown fruit and vegetables to be used in their kitchen, today’s produce is supplied directly to the café on a daily basis.

The Kitchen Garden supplies our cafe with produce all year round
Kitchen garden at Sizergh
The Kitchen Garden supplies our cafe with produce all year round

Awash with colour

A feat of engineering, the Fruit Wall measures 60m and is built from limestone faced with red brick to absorb the sun’s heat. During the summer months trained pears and grapes clothe the wall whilst in the foreground Dahlias, tender perennials, annuals and Hedychiums provide bursts of colour.

The fruit wall at Sizergh Castle

Gardening for wildlife

Wild areas within the garden provide homes, food and shelter for many insects. The banking is covered in oxeye daisies and provides shelter to solitary bees in the summer, which is why we don’t encourage rolling down it (as tempting as that may be!).

The banking is home to solitary bees in the summer
Oxeye daisies on the banking in the main lawn
The banking is home to solitary bees in the summer

Four National Collections of ferns

The Stumpery opened in 2016 and every spring more than a dozen varieties of dinky daffodils complement the fresh green unfurling fronds of the ferns, many of which make up the National Collections which are in Sizergh’s care. Throughout the summer the Stumpery looks quite tropical, with lush foliage of every description including Ginko ‘sarratoga’, tree ferns and a foxglove tree.

The Stumpery in high summer
The Stumpery in high summer
The Stumpery in high summer

A peaceful retreat

The old Dutch garden summerhouse provides a shaded sanctuary on a hot summer’s day. Here you'll find a subtle colour scheme of plants and flowers in shades of cream and white.

The Summerhouse terrace at end of old Dutch garden
The Summerhouse terrace at end of old Dutch garden
The Summerhouse terrace at end of old Dutch garden

Take a piece of the garden with you (the right way!)

The garden plant donation stalls allow you to take a little memento home, whether it be a posy of sweet peas, vegetables, or fruit when it's in season. All have been lovingly grown at Sizergh by our team of dedicated garden staff and volunteers.

Summer produce in the kitchen garden at Sizergh

Small, but perfectly formed, the garden areas are interlinked and together they tell the story of this family garden which has developed over 900 years. Our friendly garden staff and volunteers are more than happy to say hello and have a chat about anything you’ve seen, or answer questions you might have. We hope the garden has something for everyone to enjoy whatever the month, whatever the weather!