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.

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

Article

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.

Article

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.

Article

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.

Article

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

Article

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.

Article

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.

Article

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.

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

Article

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

Article

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.

Article

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.

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