The garden at Mottisfont

Multi-stemmed birches and colourful-stemmed shrubs, in winter, in the Winter Garden at Mottisfont, Hampshire | © National Trust Images/Carole Drake

Discover a garden of ancient trees, babbling brooks and rolling lawns. Carpets of spring bulbs, walled gardens, a world-famous collection of once-flowering roses, rich autumn foliage and a colourful, scented winter garden create a feast for the senses all year round.

Step into the gardens at Mottisfont

The abundant spring, or font, that gave Mottisfont its name is now an ornamental feature of the garden. Tributaries of the River Test flow through the grounds, too. Follow paths beside the waterways to spot trout basking and swans gliding.

As you approach the house, an enormous tree catches the eye – seeming to dwarf the building from some angles. This huge London plane is thought to be the largest of its kind in Britain, and forms part of the National Collection of plane trees which stand in the grounds.

The garden is home to many other fine specimen trees, including grand horse chestnuts and stately oaks, planted by Georgian owners. Twentieth-century features include an elegant double row of pollarded limes and a circle of beech trees.

The Winter Garden

Explore the beauty and tranquillity a garden can offer in winter. Mottisfont’s winter garden is gradually filling with richly coloured barks, silvery ‘ghost’ bramble, berries and delicious scents. Follow the crystal-clear river to meadows, a beautiful view of the house, and veteran trees full of acid-green mistletoe.

During these shorter days, Mottisfont’s one acre winter garden gives us uplifting splashes of rich colour and fragrance. Meandering paths take you past bright red and orange dogwood stems and silvery ornamental bramble . Sweet-scented daphnes and winter-flowering honeysuckles, wintersweet, witch hazel and viburnum all contribute to a subtle fragrance in the crisp cold air, while richly-coloured berries and fruit are provided by skimmia, euonymus and the metallic-purple berries of beautyberry. A wet area near the font supports ornamental willow, the stems of which take on burgundy, russet or yellow tints in the winter months. Late and early flowering perennials also provide welcome bursts of colour. The bergenia, hellebores, ground-hugging periwinkle, pachysandra and early spring bulbs echo the flow of the water from the adjacent font.

These quiet winter days are a lovely time to enjoy a free guided garden walk with themes from history to horticulture. Mottisfont’s garden team have picked out 10 highlights this year including the eye-catching Tibetan cherry and showy yellow-flowered paperbush – find them all on the highlights board at the garden’s entrance. Or take a self-guided walk to see the hundreds of snowdrops gradually emerging in delicate white clusters along the garden’s snowdrop walk.

Three women walk along a path, through colourful frosted shrubs — Visitors exploring the gardens in winter at Mottisfont, Hampshire | © National Trust Images/James Dobson

Snowdrops

Depending on the weather, the snowdrop display can start as early as the first weeks of January and continue into the end of February. Thousands of snowdrops emerge in delicate white clusters at Mottisfont, littering the waterways that meander through the garden, gathering by the rose bridge and along the font stream, and hiding in clusters amongst the colourful plants of the Winter Garden.

Discover fascinating facts about these little white flowers on a self-led snowdrop walk before seeing the 3 metre high willow snowdrop sculptures or discovering beautiful excerpts of snowdrop-inspired poetry by the likes of Wordsworth and Tennyson.

Discover more about snowdrop season at Mottisfont.

A low angle image of a clump of snowdrops growing in grassy. earthy ground with the house almost visible in the distance — Snowdrops at Mottisfont | © National Trust Images/Catherine Hadler

Guided garden walks

Our volunteer Garden Guides lead free themed daily walks, including a Welcome Walk which provides a general introduction for first-time visitors, alongside more in-depth history and seasonal garden walks.

Walks last around 20 minutes, and are usually repeated several times a day so you can find a time to suit (or join more than one walk!). You'll discover so much about the history, people and plants of this internationally important garden.

The Welcome Team at visitor reception will be able to advise what’s on offer when you visit, or look out for information boards around the property. There's no need to book and it's the perfect way to enhance to your visit.

A perfect setting to enjoy a picnic

At Mottisfont, you’ll find beautiful corners throughout our gardens, perfect for a relaxed alfresco lunch. Whatever the season, whether you're spreading a blanket beneath ancient trees or settling beside a gently flowing stream, our grounds offer a peaceful escape for families and friends.

We also have several designated picnic areas around the grounds, complete with tables – including adapted tables designed for easier access, so everyone can enjoy dining outdoors together. Speak to the team at Visitor Reception for more information.