The garden at Polesden Lacey

Spring borders at Polesden Lacey | © ©National Trust Images/Mark Wigmore

The garden at Polesden Lacey has something to offer in every season. Enjoy the welcome sight of spring bulbs, blossom and blooms bursting into colour all over the grounds. Watch the Production Garden fill with plants and produce. Admire seasonal colour returning to the formal gardens to herald the arrival of sunnier days ahead. Our team is working hard to take the garden to new heights and ensure there is always something beautiful to enjoy.

Spring highlights in the garden

When the flowers start to bloom in large numbers at Polesden Lacey, it’s a sure sign spring has arrived. There are many different areas where you can enjoy colour in the garden, from the vibrant Spring Borders to the large swathes of yellow, cream and golden daffodils emerging from early March.

In Preserve Copse – a rare pocket of ancient woodland set within Polesden Lacey’s gardens - look out for aromatic wild garlic and pretty bluebells. Other spring wildflowers thriving at Polesden Lacey include cowslips, primroses, violets, wood anemones and stitchwort.

An incredible example of a handkerchief tree (Davidia Involucrata) can also be seen in the Upper Sunken Garden, flowering around April and May and carpeted underneath with delicate, blue camassias.

Delicate ornamental cherry flowers come into flower on Blossom Lawn from March onwards, offering visitors a beautiful spectacle which will only improve with time as the trees establish themselves over the coming years. Then, from mid-April, the gorgeous Wisteria sinensis comes back to life in the Rose Garden, displaying showers of elegant lilac flowers and sending a fragrant aroma throughout the garden.

Daffodils cover the West Lawn at Polesden Lacey, Surrey | © ©National Trust Images/Mark Wigmore

Spring Borders: As the name might suggest, the Spring Borders are a ‘must-see’ in the gardens at this time of year, really coming into their own from March onwards. Situated at the end of the Herbaceous Borders in the formal gardens, they are richly planted with trees, shrubs and herbaceous perennials, offering a riot of colour and fragrance every spring.
Rose Garden: In the outer borders of the Rose Garden, many of the roses begin to flower gloriously from May, revealing shades of blush pink, velvety purple and butter yellow as they climb all over the expansive pergola. Some of the roses situated in the central borders also begin opening their petals in late spring, including favourites such as Rosa ‘You’re Beautiful’ and Rosa ‘Lucky’.
Formal garden rooms: To the west of the Rose Garden, you’ll find three seasonal garden rooms. The Iris Garden, Peony Borders and Lavender Garden all provide stunning displays from April through to the beginning of autumn.
Production Garden: The Production Garden provides produce for the Polesden Lacey café kitchen, from peas to potatoes and raspberries to rhubarb. We also grow and provide cut flowers for inside the house and Visitor Reception. Our fruit and veg experts tend to the cold frames, herb beds and fruit cage, designed to mirror the outline of the nearby Gardener’s Cottage.
Herbaceous Borders: Polesden Lacey's garden is home to one of the finest double herbaceous borders in England, featuring perennials, such as helenium, day lilies, rudbeckia and red-hot pokers. We don’t use herbicides or pesticides in our gardening as we look to support nature. We do our best to keep out the weeds, smothering them with mulch as much as possible. The local rabbits are harder to keep at bay, and you may see signs of their presence in this area. We also water only new or tender plants and will continue to adjust and update the herbaceous border planting scheme to support this.
Long Walk: The only formal element of the garden to the east of the house, and probably the most historic part of the garden, this 450m-long terrace has stunning views across swathes of SSSI chalk grassland and on to Ranmore Common and the estate. It is flanked by the atmospheric, shaded Nun’s Walk to the north and connects with the Pinetum to the west. Extensive work has taken place to to restore the ancient yew hedges on either side, removing bindweed and brambles and creating lower, accessible viewpoints for everyone to enjoy.
Croquet Lawns: Polesden Lacey has always been a place for recreation and play. The tennis court and golf course of its Edwardian heyday have now been replaced with four neatly manicured croquet lawn pitches. Mostly used by local clubs during the week, they are available for public hire at weekends and bank holidays from the end of March through to the end of September. Please ask about availability at Visitor Reception.
The Ladies Garden: The final resting place for Margaret Greville, this area was her favourite place to sit during her time here. We've added several beautiful plants intended to pay a fitting floral tribute, with shades of deep purple, green and blue. A couple of years ago, a group of staff and volunteers planted a large number of autumn and spring flowering crocuses to add to the garden's seasonal interest and charm.
Dog graves: Although she had no children, Margaret Greville had plenty of dogs while at Polesden Lacey and all 17 are buried here, surrounded by a calming white planting scheme. A wheelchair- and buggy-accessible path runs past this contemplative spot, linking Lime Walk with the West Lawn.

Planning your visit to the gardens at Polesden Lacey: The gardens are a true highlight of any visit to Polesden Lacey, especially during the spring when they offer seasonal interest in the glorious woodland bulbs, pretty blossom in the trees and joyful scents and colours in the formal gardens and borders. Volunteer-run garden tours take in key areas of the garden on selected dates (ask at Visitor Reception on arrival for dates and times) and the gardening team are always happy to answer questions and talk about their work. Many parts of the formal gardens offer step-free access. Some paths are gravel, but most are smooth with grass paths in certain areas. Wheelchairs, mobility scooters and all-terrain trikes are available to hire for easier access around the gardens and grounds. Benches are located at regular intervals, and there are plenty of opportunities to stop and drink in your surroundings on the way round. For visitors seeking a quieter spot, the Upper Sunken Garden offers tranquil surroundings, plenty of shade and is our dedicated Silent Space.