Things to do in the garden at Dunham Massey

Areas of the garden to explore

• The Rose Garden

  Find yourself surrounded by a variety of show-stopping rose blooms. The Rose Garden hits its peak in late May/early June, when all of the roses flower together. While many of them are repeat flowerers and will continue throughout the season, ramblers and old fashioned roses will only flower once.

  A perfect example of a rambling rose is Rosa 'The Garland' which can be found on the back wall in the Rose Garden. It is full of flower every year and is a real treat for its vibrant, fresh and stimulating sight and scent. It only flowers once and the best time to see it is early June.

  A great spot for a picture in the Rose Garden is our arbour seat situated at the end of the central path as you enter the Rose Garden. It goes in full bloom as Rosa 'Chevy Chase' and Clematis 'Hagley Pink' intertwine all across the frame that surrounds the seat. Visit in June to see this at its peak.

• The parterre

  One of the favourite backdrops for family photographs, this summer the parterre will be a mix of hot colours. Vibrant reds and oranges in an array of Geum 'Totally Tangerine', Alonsoa meridionalis 'Rebel', Arctotis 'Hayley', Pennisetum 'Red Buttons' and Ricinus communis 'New Zealand Black.' A celebration of colour for everyone to enjoy.

• Historic landmarks

  A variety of historic landmarks are waiting to be discovered in the Dunham Massey Gardens. Discover the unique bark house, attributed to the 7th Earl, and enjoy the sweeping view of the lawn. Find the well house, pause by the graves of the family’s dogs and discover the mount, which is thought to date back as far as 1173.

  Especially pleasant on rainy days is the Orangery, where the family could grow exotic fruits. The perfect place for a reflective moment - adults can enjoy the plants and views, while children relax with literature.

• The canal border

  Whenever you’re visiting, the canal border is a beautiful place to wander along the water’s edge with seasonal bulbs planted along each side.

• The Kitchen Garden

  In the Kitchen Garden there is a collection of fruit and vegetables grown with the utmost care. Our gardeners choose a ‘No-dig’ approach in this area encouraging minimal soil disturbance in the aims to promote a healthy soil structure and better yields. Produce is shared with the Stables Restaurant and excess is shared with partners and community groups.

• Picnic on the lawn

  Pack up your snacks, sandwiches, drinks and treats, and settle down on the lawn for a picnic with a view. If you run out of food or drink, pop into one of our cafés to top up – there are also many different flavours of ice creams to tempt you.