Explore gardens and parklands
We care for more than 200 gardens and parks. From kitchen gardens full of fruit and veg to historic parkland, there’s something for everyone.
Explore bee-friendly gardens
Bumblebees, honeybees and other varieties are attracted to plots rich in pollen and nectar. Many of the gardens we care for are planted with bees in mind and are full of blossom trees and flowers. Here's our pick of the most bee-friendly gardens.
- Acorn Bank, Cumbria
- The trees in Acorn Bank's orchard include more than 100 local apple varieties and create a feast for bees when they blossom. Look out for the beehives at the top of the orchard. These were established by Penrith Beekeepers Association, which uses them to teach beekeeping skills.Visit Acorn Bank
- Attingham Park, Shropshire
- Attingham Park's Walled Garden and orchard once kept the Berwick family supplied with fruit, flowers, vegetables and honey. They're still home to the Attingham bees. Spot them in the observation hive and head into the Kitchen Garden to see the Grade II-listed Georgian bee house.Visit Attingham Park
- Beningbrough Hall, Yorkshire
- Beningbrough’s flower garden is home to several varieties of bee, including red-tailed and buff-tailed bumblebees. Wander past the beehive by the south border to spot the busy residents buzzing among the flowers.Visit Beningbrough Hall
- Chartwell, Kent
- Beekeeping has been a part of Chartwell since Sir Winston Churchill started the tradition. Our trained volunteers look after the six beehives in the private orchard and harvest the surplus honey. Watch the bees along the Golden Rose Avenue in summer – they love the catmint.Visit Chartwell
- Clumber Park, Nottinghamshire
- Walk around the orchard in the walled Kitchen Garden at Clumber and look out for the beehives hidden among the trees. The orchards have more than 58 local varieties of apple trees and their blossom attracts bees and other pollinators.Visit Clumber Park
- Colby Woodland Garden, Pembrokeshire
- At Colby Woodland Garden, you can see bees among the bluebells, crocuses and daffodils in early spring. In summer, four acres of flood meadow bloom with wild flowers that attract a variety of pollinators.Visit Colby Woodland Garden
- Felbrigg Hall, Norfolk
- Between cherry blossom in spring and lavender in summer, Felbrigg’s bees have plenty of pollen to collect. Keep an eye out for them in The Bacchus Garden, which supports pollinators all year round with its seasonal blooms.Visit Felbrigg Hall
- Greenway, Devon
- Greenway has its own beehives located across its colourful gardens. Look out for the bees in the borders as they create homes and food for wildlife.Visit Greenway
- Hare Hill, Cheshire
- The Walled Garden at Hare Hill is full of bees. In this space you'll find white flowers, including unusual varieties of iris, poppy, coneflower, lupin and phlox.Visit Hare Hill
- Hughenden, Buckinghamshire
- When Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli lived here, Hughenden had beehives to help the walled garden and orchard produce more fruit and vegetables. Our volunteer beekeepers keep that tradition alive today, while the garden team care for the roses.Visit Hughenden
- Killerton, Devon
- As a West Country estate, Killerton has many acres of traditional orchard, which help produce its award-winning cider. Watch bees enjoy the apple blossom in spring or visit during the summer to see the wildflower meadows full of pollinators.Visit Killerton
- Kingston Lacy, Dorset
- The wild flowers in Kingston Lacy's sunken garden and the summer meadows around the estate attract many bees. The honey they produce is used in the café and you can take some home with you after your visit.Visit Kingston Lacy
- Oxburgh Estate, Norfolk
- Listen out for bees when you visit the Oxburgh Estate. You'll find many in the orchard, as well as the long wildflower meadow and herbaceous border.Visit Oxburgh Estate
- Plas yn Rhiw, Gwynedd
- The organic garden at Plas yn Rhiw attracts lots of bees thanks to its seasonal blooms. The flowers provide year-round support to pollinators, making it a perfect place to spot bees.Visit Plas yn Rhiw
- Rainham Hall, London
- At Rainham Hall, there are some new hives including Honey Bee Hall, which are already full of bees. Find out about a day in the life of a colony in the new display, explore a demonstration hive and go and look for bees among the flowers in the garden.Visit Rainham Hall
- Speke Hall, Liverpool
- See a variety of bees in Speke Hall's gardens, including cuckoo bees, honeybees and wild bees. Many of them live in the hives near the Kitchen Garden so they can make the most of the blossom and wild flowers there.Visit Speke Hall
- Springhill, County Londonderry
- Springhill's gardens provide a sanctuary for bees. Look out for the pollinators buzzing around the colourful wildflower meadow and rose-filled Dutch garden, which serve as vital sources of nectar.Visit Springhill
- Tredegar House, Newport
- The Orchard Garden at Tredegar hosts a range of bee-friendly plants and flowers. Wander through the Laundry Garden in the Home Farm, filled with lavender and hydrangea plants, and see if you can spot the rare brown-banded carder bee.Visit Tredegar House
- Trengwainton, Cornwall
- There are colonies of bees all over Trengwainton, including in the restored Victorian bee house and the private beehives. The gardeners care for the Kitchen Garden with bees in mind, planting flowers and vegetables alongside each other.Visit Trengwainton
- Wallington, Northumberland
- The Walled Garden at Wallington was the original kitchen garden. In this peaceful spot, the climbers, ornamental trees and shrubs in the themed borders attract lots of bees and butterflies. Sit and watch them in the Garden of Imagination.Visit Wallington
- Wordsworth House and Garden, Cumbria
- The walled heritage garden at Wordsworth House is a bee-friendly haven. It's home to a wide variety of 18th-century fruits, flowers, and herbs, which are grown organically and provide plenty of nectar.Visit Wordsworth House
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