Explore the garden at Westbury

Seasonal highlights

Discover the highlights each season brings at Westbury Court Garden. From the first bursts of colour in spring to the rich textures and tones of autumn, every visit offers its own unique experience. Explore the changing beauty of this historic garden as it evolves throughout the year.

Please note the times the plants bloom are dictated by the weather and spells of unseasonably hot, cold or wet weather will impact when each plant flowers and how long the blooms last.

Follow our Facebook account for seasonal updates about what’s coming into peak display when the property is open.

Summer: Roses and waterlilies

June and July mark peak season for the old-fashioned roses in the walled garden, including the beautiful and highly-fragrant striped Rosa mundi. Waterlilies fill the canals in full bloom, adding colour and calm to the garden’s waterways.

In August, enjoy a vibrant display of cottage garden plants, but the planting combines the formailty and structure of a 17th-century Dutch water garden with seasonal abundance.

Autumn: Harvest and vibrant colour

Autumn sees the productive garden reach its peak, and historic and heritage varieties of apples and pears ripening and ready for harvest. Elsewhere in the garden, look out for a spectrum of autumn colour, from buttery yellows to golden oranges and fiery reds across leaves and berries.

Harvest time at Westbury celebrated with a weekend selling produce from the garden.

Spring: Blossom and bulbs

Hyacinths and tulips bring vibrant colour to pots and beds, while earlier in spring the garden comes alive with sunny displays of narcissus. Look out for less common varieties, including the delicate hoop petticoat daffodils, the rare 17th-century Van Sion pompom daffodil (Narcissus telemonius) in the parterre, and Queen Anne’s daffodil – a miniature form of the Van Sion.

In the wildflower meadow, keep an eye out for snake’s head fritillaries (Fritillaria meleagris), along with primulas and cowslips.

April sees Pulsatilla vulgaris, or pasque flower, in bloom, while cherry, plum, pear and apple blossom begin to unfurl – all star attractions for visitors and pollinators alike. Wander canal-side to see wall-trained fruit trees, or head to the orchard where they are laid out in the traditional tessellated ‘quincunx’ design.

Explore the rest of the garden

Topiary

The garden’s original design was rooted in shaping and controlling nature, emphasising order, formality, and human influence. Topiary played a key role in achieving this vision, with cones and spheres lining the canal sides and structuring the formal gardens with striking precision.

The vegetable garden

The vegetable plots are filled with fruit, vegetables and herbs that would have been grown here in 1700, when the garden was first laid out.

In summer, look for the striking purple and white blooms of cardoons and artichokes, alongside vibrant green asparagus shoots. T

Today, the plots are carefully tended by volunteers, with any surplus produce available to purchase at Visitor Welcome.

Tall Pavilion and Summer House

The Tall Pavilion stands at the southern end of the garden, close to the visitor entrance and the long canal, while the Summer House sits to the north-east beside the walled garden. Both provide perfect spots to pause, offering shelter from passing showers, fresh perspectives across the garden, and insights into the site’s history.

While you’re there, take a moment to examine the maps showcasing the garden’s original design.

Wildlife

Discover a wealth of wildlife at Westbury Court Garden and the surrounding landscape. Keep an eye out for kingfishers, woodpeckers and herons, as well as a variety of duck species.

Stop by Visitor Welcome to purchase a bag of fish food and enjoy feeding the carp that glide through the canals.