Things to do in the garden at Calke Abbey

The Physic Garden 

The Physic Garden is in full swing, as fruits and vegetables take over the beds in July.

If exploring makes your mouth water, you can always pick up some of Calke’s fresh produce to enjoy at home from the donation stand. Every penny helps to keep the gardens growing and Calke's history alive.

The fragrant sweet pea arch puts on a show between June and July. Walk beneath the arch, admire blooming petals, peek out of the windows to see the scarecrows watching over the beds and enjoy the sweet aroma that fills the air.

The Kitchen Garden 

Another wow moment takes place in July, when the annual borders in the Kitchen Garden spring to life with a riot of colour, which makes for a great photograph. Created from a variety of flowers, this vibrant landscape provide a rich source of nectar for butterflies and bees.

Garden tours

Garden tours are available from Tuesday 1 April until Thursday 30 October. 

Unearth the history of Calke's fascinating gardens whilst soaking up seasonal highlights on a garden tour. 

Garden tours take place every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday at 11.30am and 2pm (subject to volunteer availability), starting by the sundial outside the front of the house. They're free and flexible, typically lasting around 45-50 minutes. 

Yoga in the gardens

We've teamed up with Soulful Sanctuary to offer visitors a new way to experience Calke's tranquil gardens.

Whether you're a curious beginner or a seasoned expert, come and enjoy yoga in picturesque surroundings.

Summer solstice yoga

Celebrate the longest day of the year with a soul-nourishing yoga practice in the calming Slip Garden.

Take part in solar-inspired yoga flow, grounding meditation and breathwork, guided visualisation, journaling prompts, and nature-based reflection.

Summer evening yoga

There's also the opportunity to enjoy an evening workshop outside the historic house.

Surrounded by nature and history, reconnect with yourself as you take part in breathwork and a Vinyasa style flow that links movement with breath.

Gardener's buildings and Bothy 

To get a real sense of Calke's historic working garden, don't forget to peek inside the Gardener's Bothy, where you'll find a vast collection of garden tools, pots and broken cloches – it's a gardener's heaven.

Calke's garden was once an industrial hub, and the remnants of the historic heating systems can still be seen today in the back sheds and Stove House. You may find that some sheds are closed off during winter – this is so that we can protect areas of the garden from heavy footfall during the wetter months. 

Did you know there’s a series of tunnels beneath Calke's garden? One of the tunnels leads to the house from the back sheds under the Pleasure Grounds. It was built so that the gardeners could go about their work without being seen from the house. The tunnel is open for you to explore – but it's quite low, so mind your head! 

Download the property map to guide you around the gardens. 

Dogs welcome 

Well-behaved dogs are welcome in the garden, so you can explore more of Calke without leaving your four-legged friends out. 

Please keep your dog on a short lead, and don’t forget to scoop that poop – it helps us keep Calke’s garden clean for all visitors to enjoy.