Visiting the garden at Wordsworth House

Spanish bluebells and vibrant yellow flowers in the garden at Wordsworth House on a sunny spring day — Spanish bluebells in the garden on a sunny spring day | © National Trust Images/Annapurna Mellor

Wordsworth House’s walled riverside garden was William’s secret childhood playground. It was here that he learned the love of nature that turned him into one of the world’s favourite poets. With hidden corners perfect for peaceful musings and a changing display of colours throughout the seasons, you are sure to find your own moment of inspiration.

The Garden in April and May...

The tulips are a blaze of colour now– in shades of red, burgundy, and yellow – a real statement. Swathes of pale-yellow flowered primroses are flourishing under the two rows of apple trees. The white pear blossom is fully out and will soon be joined by the apple tree and quince blossom.

Pulmonarias are in bloom – they create a lovely low carpet of spotted leaves and flowers ranging through whites to pinks and blues. Pulmonaria originates from the Latin word for “lung” so called because its spotted leaves were thought to resemble ulcerated lungs. In the Middle Ages – because of a belief that plants resembling body parts could heal them it was used to treat pulmonary diseases.

The blackbirds are establishing their territories with the two pairs deciding who gets which part of the garden. Blackbirds came fifth in this year’s RSPB big garden birdwatch. At number 1 on the list is the house sparrow, which we have a noisy community of – they spend most of their time congregating in shrubs on the terrace – the abundance of sparrow does however lead to an occasional visit from a sparrow hawk.

Volunteers are busy sowing seeds beans, chard, and various other annual plants into seed trays to place in our cold frames. A task we all appreciate undertaking when the weather turns wet and cold.

This is the time to be on the lookout for the wily scarlet lily beetle. Being scarlet you would think they are easy to spot – but as soon as they sense you approaching, they flip off the plant and land on their backs – disappearing into the background as their bellies are dark. The best way to capture this beetle is to approach them so you do not alert them to your presence, ensuring your shadow does not fall on the plant. As soon as you spot them keep on top on removing them as they can quickly decimate your lilies.

- Head Gardener Amanda

A potted marigold and a decorative garden slate on the raised terrace in the garden at Wordsworth House, Cockermouth. The verse on the slate reads 'a soft sky was among the hills and summer sunshine above'. — Decorative slates and plant pots in the garden at Wordsworth House | © Anna Place

A piece of history

A fine example of a working Georgian walled garden, the Wordsworth's garden has been presented, to the best of our knowledge, as it may have been when William and Dorothy played games along the flower beds. This little green oasis was strongly associated with the happy childhood of these famous siblings who later recalled fond memories of playing outdoors on their riverside terrace walk, where closely clipped privet and roses ‘gave an almost impervious shelter to birds that built their nests there’. It is also significant as a rare survivor of 18th century walled town-house gardens in the north of England.

Despite the ravages of serious flooding in 2009 and 2015, the garden of Wordsworth House has been painstakingly restored and replanted to return it to it's Georgian splendour, with the clipped formality of the front garden contrasting with an abundance of 18th-century varieties of fruit, vegetables, herbs and cut flowers cultivated in the shelter of the warm brick-faced walls to the rear.

Two volunteers work in the garden at Wordsworth House in late November, lightly pruning roses — Volunteers lightly prune roses to prevent windrock | © Anna Place

A space for people and nature

Walking off the busy streets of Cockermouth and into the green and blossoming garden inspires an instant feeling of ease. The surrounding walls covered in espaliered trees and rose bushes act as a perfect sound barrier and the free and easy way the garden grows with it's gentle structure and design invites you to step right in and make yourself at home. You will also often find our friendly volunteers who are more than happy to answer your question and share their knowledge. To make sure birds and pollinating insects also feel welcome, our head gardener Amanda uses organic principles throughout the garden and has specially selected local wildflowers and herbs to entice bees and butterflies to feast. The winter months are no time to be tidy as leftover apples, piles of dead leaves and leftover stems and sticks provide shelter and food for wildlife. It is only with the first signs of spring that the tidying begins so that the garden is ready for our first visitors. With blooms and blossoms from the first snowdrops and crocuses in late winter all the way to bright swaying sneezeweed in autumn, there is always something for both people and nature to enjoy.

An oasis in the heart of Cockermouth

Take a look into this quiet blossoming garden and listen to our head gardener Amanda as she shares her passion for organic gardening and the particular history of William Wordsworth's beloved childhood playground.

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