The garden at Wightwick

A view of Wightwick Manor's south terrace with pink magnolia tree in the foreground. — Spot the signs of spring | © National Trust/Lindsey Bucknor

The garden at Wightwick is the perfect place for a walk after enjoying the delights of the house. Originally designed by Thomas Mawson, today it has something to see, no matter what the season.

Blossom Watch at Wighwick

From mid-April to the end of May, spectacular blossom displays can be seen throughout the gardens at Wightwick. In both the small and main orchards, see the varied fruit blossom of the apple trees. Up into the Kitchen Garden, more fruit varieties grow showing the diversity of colour in the blossom.

In particular, the ornamental cherry tree is a beautiful sight in full bloom on the tennis court lawn carrying scented white blossom.

From Saturday 13 April - Sunday 9 June 2024, celebrate the festival of blossom with us here at Wightwick and admire the knitted blossom and poetry trail around the grounds. Accompanying the blossom displays will be printed poetry written by Simon Armitage, Poet Laureate, in collaboration with the National Trust.

Use #BlossomWatch to share your pictures of the beautiful blossom at Wightwick.

Peering through the delicate, white clumps of blossom with Wightwick Manor in the background. — Delicate blossom at Wightwick Manor | © National Trust/Steph Wilkes

Arts and Crafts garden

In 1904, the Manders employed the foremost Arts and Crafts garden designer, Thomas Mawson, to lay out their garden. Mawson was a renowned designer from Windermere and had designed many gardens.

The death of Flora Mander in 1905 meant his designs weren't fully implemented, but he returned in 1910 and added the South Terrace. The design and principles of what he wanted are still clear today.

Rooms with a yew

The dominant design feature of the garden is its 'rooms' – areas of the garden marked by clipped yew hedges or terraces giving the garden a wide variety of different feelings.

Mawson designed these so that close to the house they are more formal, and then get more natural as you walk further into the garden

Coming up roses

The Arts and Crafts movement in gardening renewed the love of classic English plants such as the rose. The garden boasts several varieties bordering the paths, lawns and in the formal rose garden.

Informal gardens

Beyond the hedges and flower beds are the informal gardens. With two pools as central features they provide year-round interest with spring flowers, summer rhododendrons and autumn colour.

Looking over the large pool at Wightwick, with lots of summer foliage and trees in full leaf, towards the small, wooden bridge — Enjoy the tranquillity and design of Wightwick's gardens | © National Trust/Lindsey Bucknor

Historic orchards

Just beyond the formal lawns and gardens are the two orchards which over recent years have been restocked with traditional varieties.

They’re a great place to sit under a tree with a picnic and relax. In the springtime, smell the honey-scented blossom, take shade under the branches in the summer and marvel at the array of colours in the autumn.

Fruit trees

In the three orchards there's a wide range of fruiting trees including pear, quince, plum, damson, cherry and mulberry in the Kitchen Garden. Pear, plum, crab apple, medlar and apples grow in the Small Orchard. Eating, cooking and cider apples can be found in the Large Orchard.