The garden at Polesden Lacey

Published:: 30 August 2025

Dahlias in the cutting garden at Polesden Lacey | © National Trust / Hannah Elliott

The garden at Polesden Lacey has something to offer in every season. Watch the autumn colour spread across Ranmore Common from the exceptional vantage point of the South Lawn, indulge in the peace and quiet in the old kitchen garden or drink in the seasonal interest around the formal gardens, cut flower garden and herbaceous borders. There's always something beautiful to enjoy.

Autumn highlights in the garden

Polesden Lacey is a beautiful place to be as the seasons transition from summer into autumn. See the changing landscapes as nature begins to prepare itself for the winter months, offering perfect opportunities for autumnal photos and long fresh air walks.

One of the best views at Polesden Lacey is the show stopping autumn colours of the wider estate, seen from the outlook of South Lawn, offering rich burnt oranges, amber reds and golden yellows. The Lime Walk slowly transitions from a vibrant green, shaded walkway into a close knit tunnel of yellow, brown and red leaves, with a warm and welcoming autumnal glow.

Kitchen Garden and Home Farm Orchard

Many types of seasonal vegetables can be found in the kitchen garden, including bright orange pumpkins for Halloween. The rows of dahlias and sunflowers in the cutting garden are another seasonal delight, providing blooms for the flower arrangements in the house. Beyond the kitchen garden, Home Farm Orchard becomes full of heavy branched apple trees, ready to harvest up to late October. The double herbaceous border also remains in flower right up to the first frosts.

Nature in the garden

Look out for seed heads from summer plants and trees as you walk through the grounds. They’re a perfect source of food for wildlife and you may spot birds pecking at the seeds and squirrels nibbling beneath the sweet chestnut trees. After the final roses have faded away in the formal walled garden, look out for vibrant red rose hips taking their place.

Two laughing people walk down the Long Walk at Polesden Lacey, Surrey, beneath a canopy of yellow and gold autumn leaves on the trees. — On the Long Walk at Polesden Lacey, Surrey | © National Trust Images/John Millar

A garden to enjoy in every season

Cut flower garden: The cut flower garden provides blooms for arrangements in the house and other visitor areas throughout the year. In summer, it is full of an eclectic and colourful mix of blooms like dahlias, zinnias, gladioli and phlox. We also keep and dry a lot of flowers to maintain our house displays in the winter using our own blooms as Margaret Greville liked to see back in the day. Sometimes you may even see flowers drying in the windows of the old gardener’s store.
Production garden: The production garden provides produce for the Polesden Lacey café kitchens all year round, from peas to potatoes and raspberries to rhubarb. The production garden team also tends to the cold frames, herb bed and fruit cage, which was designed to mirror the outline of the nearby Gardener’s Cottage. We have some exciting plans to renovate this area in the coming years with fencing, the cold frames and paths all due for replacement.
Herbaceous borders: Polesden Lacey's garden is home to one of the finest double herbaceous borders in England, and throughout autumn it remains full of beautiful flowers. These borders feature seasonal perennials, such as 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 the herbaceous border planting scheme to support this.
House borders: There are borders on all sides of the house. Due to a major house render renovation project a couple of years ago, we had to remove some of the plants from the borders at the front of the house. The original climbing wires were failing in several places and some of the climbers were overgrown and not in the best health. The delicate wisteria and vibrant orange pyracantha remain, as these were both planted during Margaret Greville’s time. The team is now working hard to restore them to their full glory, creating a new planting scheme to incorporate a variety of striking plants that will be in bloom throughout the year no matter what month you visit.
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. The Long Walk is flanked by the atmospheric, shaded Nun’s Walk to the north and connects with the Pinetum to the west. We’ve been working to restore the ancient yew hedges on either side, removing bindweed and brambles and lowering the height to provide more accessible viewpoints.
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 large group of staff and volunteers also planted a large number of autumn and spring flowering crocuses to add to the Ladies 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 autumn when they offer seasonal interest in the colourful trees, intricate seed heads and final floral displays before the onset of winter. 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.