Buckland Abbey's gardens

Swathe of yellow Rudbeckia in the foreground in the kitchen garden with fruit trees at Buckland Abbey, Devon — Rudbeckia in the kitchen garden at Buckland Abbey, Devon | © National Trust Images/Mel Peters

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 recently planted by the garden team. 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.

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

Autumn highlights in the garden

Autumn brings a stunning display of colour to Buckland's gardens. From glorious squashes and historic fruit varieties to flowers and foliage selected to be dried and woven into winter displays at the Abbey, there is plenty to see on a walk around the grounds.

It is also a wonderful time for harvesting. The crops of delicious produce are often found for sale in the shop or on seasonal dishes in the cafe.

Don't miss the Harvest Festival, where the best of the seasonal bounty is showcased. You can find out more on the What's on page.

Head Gardener Sam says “Autumn is our main harvest time, with the kitchen garden reaching peak production! The tomatoes from the glasshouse are a particular highlight, and fresh, homegrown tomatoes ripened in the sun are far better than anything you can get in a supermarket. Another harvest highlight later in the autumn are the pumpkins and winter squash. These come in all different colours and sizes and will be picked in October ready for the Halloween displays before going into delicious, hearty stews in the café and of course, also for sale in our shop.”