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Buckland Abbey's gardens

A gardener in a green top hangs various coloured flowers from strings suspended against a white ceiling.
Drying flowers for displays at Buckland Abbey | © Sam Brown

From beautiful blooms to bountiful harvests, the gardens at Buckland Abbey are full of colour and seasonal interest. Soak up the history of this special place as you admire the planting, or simply enjoy the peace and tranquillity as you sit a while on one of the benches.

A garden for all seasons

Whatever the time of year, the gardens at Buckland Abbey are a treat for the senses. From delicate wildflowers to bold displays of tulips, beautiful borders to wild spaces, each area of the garden has something exciting to offer.

The Abbey Garden features sweeping lawns and established borders, leading to the Elizabethan Garden on the north side of the building, where over 100 new single and semi-double flowered rose plants were planted by the garden team this year. From here, you'll also see the original medieval stonework of the walls - a reminder of the earlier Abbey complex.

The Kitchen Garden is still used to grow vegetables and fruit, with heritage apple trees and fragrant herbs in abundance, and a wonderful display of squashes in the autumn.

A little further on, you'll find the Cider House Garden, with its herbaceous borders and pretty spring flower meadow. Don't miss the 'Wild Garden' at the far end: a peaceful spot to rest and enjoy the views.

The exterior of Abbot's tower at Buckland Abbey in the evening light

Discover more at Buckland Abbey

Find out when Buckland Abbey is open, how to get here, the things to see and do and more.

Atmospheric woodland image of tree trunks with mist behind them
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Buckland Abbey's estate 

There are no end of discoveries to be made while exploring the ancient woodland at Buckland Abbey. The grounds have more than eight centuries of history to uncover and colour-coded walks take in everything the Great North Wood has to offer.

Two large dogs on leads held by two people on a path at Lanhydrock, Cornwall, with grass and fallen autumn leaves beyond
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Visiting Buckland Abbey with your dog 

Buckland Abbey is a one pawprint rated place. There are plenty of dog-friendly walks through the woodland and countryside to explore and dogs are welcome to relax in the Ox Yard Café.

A view of the south face of the Abbey from the lawn. Snow covers the grass and trees.
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Visiting Buckland Abbey and Great Barn 

Explore the abbey which is part museum, part house, and filled with treasures. Step inside the medieval Great Barn: a tithe barn unchanged since it was built centuries ago.

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Our work at Buckland Abbey 

Discover how our conservation work at Buckland Abbey has revealed some surprises that have shed light on the lives of the Cistercian monks who once lived here.