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Two visitors are looking around a small walled garden
Visitors exploring the garden at Wordsworth House and Garden | © Annapurna Mellor

Gardens in the Lake District

A garden grown by Beatrix Potter, a riot of colour in castle grounds or an intriguing collection of culinary and medicinal herbs; the Lakes is known for dramatic country landscapes, but there are some fantastic gardens to explore, too.

Top gardens in the Lake District

Many of our gardens are now closed for the winter, but you can get some inspiration and start planning your next visit here.

Family exploring the gardens in spring at Sizergh Castle, Cumbria
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Sizergh, Kendal 

Feel inspired with a stroll through the gardens at Sizergh and find out what you’re likely to see growing here when you visit.

Lush border in the garden at Acorn Bank, with blue and yellow flowers. In the background is the grey stone wall that borders the garden.
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Acorn Bank, near Penrith 

Potter around the fascinating garden at Acorn Bank. The garden boasts over 275 varieties of herbs as well as hot beds, vegetable patches and traditional fruit orchards.

Wisteria in the garden at Hill Top
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Hill Top, Near Sawrey, Hawkshead 

Discover Beatrix Potter's farmhouse garden, restored to how it was in her time and spot features which appear in some of her little white books.

Two visitors amongst the apple blossom in the garden at Wordsworth House in spring.
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Wordsworth House & Garden, Cockermouth 

Explore this bright and beautiful walled riverside garden which was once William Wordsworth’s secret childhood playground. Today, it's filled with the colours, scents and sounds of summer.

A person standing outside framed in the entrance to a stone tunnel
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Allan Bank, Grasmere 

Wander up from Grasmere village to see what's growing in the vegetable garden. Enjoy sweeping views from the formal lawns out across the lake to the fells beyond and keep an eye out for red squirrels in the woodland.

A bridge crossing a stream at Stagshaw Garden, Ambleside, Cumbria.
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Stagshaw Garden, Ambleside 

Stagshaw's rambling paths and unusual combination of shrubs, trees and plants give this tranquil garden an enchanted feel, with views out to the lake and mountains beyond.

Path along mountain side with walkers
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High Close Estate and Arboretum, The Langdales 

Head to the Langdales and discover rare trees and shrubs from around the world at High Close Estate and Arboretum.

Best places to spot blossom this spring

Hot on the heels of snowdrops and crocuses, blossom is often one of the first spring flower varieties to arrive, heralding the start of a new season. From wild blackthorn blossom along farmers' hedgerows to carefully cultivated cherry blossom in historic gardens, keep an eye out for these bright and delicate small flowers everywhere you go.

Trees with white cherry blossom in the gardens of Sizergh, Cumbria
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Blossom at Sizergh, near Kendal 

The bright pink and almond scented flowers of the Japanese Apricot can be found in the Rock Garden in March, followed by the Magnolia in the South Garden in April. Look out for the Japanese cherry at the entrance to the Stumpery adorned with fragrant white cup-shaped flowers, and the pale pink flowers of Prunus Kojo-no-mai on the Spring Walk. Trained pears will also be blossom on the Fruit Wall in April. In May, as you enter the Stumpery, you can’t miss the spectacular Hawthorn covered in white flowers. Later in the month the orchard will be filled with clouds of pink & white apple blossom, followed in June by the blossom of the Dwarf Indian Horse Chestnut near the Herbaceous Border.

Visitors exploring the garden at Wordsworth House and Garden, Cumbria
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Blossom at Wordsworth House & Garden, Cockermouth 

Fluffy pink and white apple blossom decorates the walled garden, usually in May and rarely before. Local apple varieties adorn the orchard, such as Keswick Codlings, Carlisle Codlings and Greenups Pippins. Underneath, wild primroses and beautifully fluffy common bistort flower in the beds bloom, later to be joined by fiery red and orange tulips.

White blossom on a tree at Acorn Bank. The tree is on the right, and to the centre and left is a view from the garden, across the old brick walls, to the fields and hills beyond.
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Blossom at Acorn Bank, near Penrith 

Out on the estate, blackthorn blossom is the first to bloom in April, later joined by hawthorn in May and elderflower in June. The subtle white blossom of three huge cherry trees overhangs the Sunken Garden from the woodland, and apple blossom arrives in the orchard in early May. The huge Blakeney Red pear tree was donated by cider makers Babycham, and there’s also a baby apple tree of an endangered species (the niedswetzkyana). It’s ornamental; the blossom is a deep pink and the fruit of the apple itself has red flesh.

Gardens further afield

Feel inspired with a whole host of gardens to visit across the north of England

Visitors in the garden at Speke Hall, Liverpool

Gardens and parks in Liverpool and Lancashire 

To gardens filled with history and colour at Speke Hall, to a peaceful garden with canal walks at Rufford Old Hall, this corner of the North West is full of colourful blooms at this time of year.

A man and a woman sat on a bench facing away from the camera. They are sat underneath white blossom trees. The red brick Georgian house of Dunham Massey can be seen in the background. A brick canal wall surrounded by green flowers can be seen in the foreground.

Gardens and parks in Cheshire and Greater Manchester 

From the glorious garden at Dunham Massey to the industrial garden landscape at Quarry Bank, this corner of the North West is full of colourful blooms throughout spring.

A family with children walking through a bloom-lined path in the American Garden at Beningbrough Hall, North Yorkshire

Gardens and parks in Yorkshire 

Enjoy Yorkshire's spring gardens and parks, from the landscaped views at Fountains Abbey, to the gardens within a garden at Wentworth Castle Gardens and newly designed areas, as seen at Beningbrough.

Tulips at Gibside, Tyne & Wear

Top Gardens in the North East 

Discover some of the best gardens in the North East as they burst into bloom this spring. Look for bright colourful borders, carpets of flowers and hidden spaces to relax.

Two people looking out over the lake at Fell Foot in the Lake District

Discover more in the Lake District

Home of Beatrix Potter, dramatic landscapes and fascinating history.