Tulips at Gibside, Tyne & Wear — Tulips at Gibside | © National Trust Images/Frances Warnell

Top Gardens in the North East

Soak up the sights and smells of spring as some of the best gardens in the North East begin to burst into life. Explore Wallington's hidden garden, meander through interlinked gardens at Crook Hall or witness a garden Wow moment at Gibside.

Visit the best National Trust gardens in the North East this spring as they burst into life.

Wildlfower meadow in the foreground with the Hall beyond at Gibside, Newcastle upon Tyne

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The wildlife and garden at Gibside

Gibside’s 18th-century garden is the perfect place to escape the hustle and bustle of daily life. With its tree-lined Avenue, walled garden bursting into blossom, winding woodland paths and views over the Derwent Valley, see it all come to life in spring.

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Seaton Delaval Hall

Tulips provide pops of colour in the central beds of the formal Parterre garden, contrasting with the calm green hues of the surrounding planting. Later in spring the laburnum arch drips with yellow flowers and rhododendrons and azaleas are vibrant.

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Wallington's Walled Garden

Discover Wallington's Walled Garden where spring brings an array of bright crocus, daffodils, tulips and other spring bulbs. Look out for the plum border, shrubs coming into leaf and giant pots of flowers. In front of the house is the White Border where over 150 varieties of Rose are emerging.

The hyacinth border in the Formal Garden at Cragside.

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Cragside's Formal Garden

If you’re looking for that welcoming sign that spring is well a truly on its way, it’s well worth the walk up to the Formal Garden at Cragside. The three-tiered, south-facing garden at the top of the valley has straight, uniform lines, geometric patterns, and bold, clashing colours to create drama and delight.

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Crook Hall Gardens

Wander through a series of interlinked gardens at Crook Hall Gardens, each with its own character. Intriguing paths lead you to blooming borders, secluded walled gardens, an orchard and a tranquil moat pool. Views of Durham Cathedral are a reminder that this green oasis is close to the heart of the city.

The wildflower garden and cottage s at Cherryburn, Northumberland. Colourful wildflowers are in the foreground with the museum behind.

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Cherryburn in springtime

Take a picnic on the lawn, stroll between fruit trees, or simply relax and admire the views over the Tyne Valley at Cherryburn. The garden is now accessible space for people and wildlife with more seating, wheelchair-friendly and pushchair-friendly paths.

View of the castle from the walled garden, planned by Gertrude Jekyll, at Lindisfarne Castle

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Lindisfarne Castle's Garden

This tranquil garden was created by Gertrude ‘Bumps’ Jekyll on the site of a vegetable patch that once provided the castle’s soldiers with food. It’s a peaceful place to sit and admire the view. Spring brings fresh life to the garden with daffodils and tulips in bloom.

Multi-coloured tulips in the garden at Ormesby Hall

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Ormesby Hall's stunning displays

Thousands of daffodils give a cheery welcome on the front lawn of Ormesby Hall’s whilst at the back of the house, tulips dominate the formal garden creating a beautiful sight of spring colour. Discover the newly planted blossom garden with cherry, crab apple, scarlet hawthorn and amelanchier trees, surrounded by a mix of spring bulbs.

Each spring, when the blossom blooms in swathes of pink and white, it’s a sure sign that spring has arrived. From ornamental magnolias in gardens to hawthorn scattered across the countryside, discover some of the best places to see blossom in a National Trust place near you. Share your pictures on social media using the hashtag #BlossomWatch to spread the joy of spring.

Brightly lit by sunshine, lichen-covered branches sport clusters of white and pink apple blossom between young green leaves. Lawns, flowerbeds and some buildings of Crook Hall are in soft focus in the background.

North East in Blossom 2025

Fall in love with blossom throughout the North East this year. This year, North East-based organisations have come together in partnership to celebrate blossom across the region, thanks to a project supported by players of People’s Postcode Lottery. Join us on the journey as the programme blooms at Crook Hall Gardens and in Durham, at National Trust places including Gibside, Washington Old Hall, Seaton Delaval Hall and Ormesby Hall, as well as along the Tyne Derwent Way and across Gateshead, Newcastle and Middlesbrough. We've produced a handy map of places taking part and North East blossom hotspots, just click on the link.

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Blossom at Crook Hall Gardens

In late April and early May, the orchard’s traditional variety of apple trees surround visitors in clouds of frothy white-pink blossom amongst a carpet of spring flowers. Crook Hall Gardens is part of the Blossom North East 2025 programme in conjunction with other properties and partners. This programme of events aims to connect people with nature and will include a combination of public/bookable events and activities such as blossom bathing, guided walks and live music. Please check back later for more details.

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Blossom at Gibside

The walled garden at Gibside is full of fruit blossom in spring, from the early blooming apricot tree to the plum, cherry and apple blossoms that appear in late March to late May. Gibside is part of the North East in Blossom 2025 programme in conjunction with other properties and partners. Please check back for more details.

In the foreground there is a branch with white cherry blossom. The Cherryburn museum, an 18th century farmhouse is in the background.

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Blossom at Cherryburn

Cherryburn is celebrating blossom this year. They’ll be offering blossom bathing in hammocks under the trees and talks about the importance of blossom as an early food source. Visitors are invited to create an origami blossom to take home or leave in Thomas Bewick's birthplace cottage. And Cherryburn’s gardener will be available for "ask the gardener" sessions.

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Blossom on Durham Coast

Look out for blackthorn and hawthorn blossom in the hedgerows, scrub and woodlands of the Durham Coast. Blackthorn is usually the first to flower, from around March to June and hawthorn, also known as May blossom or May tree, blooms between April and June. Both trees are important to wildlife, supporting hundreds of insect species.

The exterior of Washington Old Hall against clear blue sky. Carved stone eagles top the walls either side of a set of stone steps. Trees in leaf are visible and a pink dog rose is close up in the foreground.

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Blossom at Washington Old Hall

Acknowledging Washington Old Hall's links with the USA, a cherry blossom tree planted in memoriam to the victims of 9/11 grows near the hall. In the parterre, espaliered fruit trees are trained against the walls. Through a gate beyond, a variety of young English heritage apple trees make up a small orchard.

Open pale pink blossom flowers each with five, small, cup-shaped petals, and dark pink-tipped stamens, hanging from thin dark branches

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Blossom at Wallington

There are several varieties of ornamental cherry blossom at Wallington, including the fragrant white flowers of the Great White cherry that grows in the orchard square in the Walled Garden. This wildlife- friendly cherry is a particular favourite of bees, who can often be seen hopping between its flowers as they search for nectar, and the blossom looks like wedding confetti as it drops.

Discover more seasonal blooms in the North of England with plenty of gardens and parks to visit.

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 glorious gardens and parks, from landscaped views of Fountains Abbey and Studley Royal Water Garden, to exploring pathways at Beningbrough and Nostell.

Two visitors are looking around a small walled garden

Gardens in the Lake District

The Lakes is known for its dramatic, wild landscapes, but its home to some intriguing gardens too. Explore castle grounds, a cottage garden that inspired Beatrix Potter, and more.