Visit the gardens at Dyffryn

Orange, pink and red flowers in bloom in the Herbaceous Border at Dyffryn Gardens, a couple meander through the garden in the background — The Herbaceous Border in the summer at Dyffryn Gardens, Vale of Glamorgan | © Aled Llywelyn

On the outskirts of Cardiff, discover more than 55 acres of horticultural variety, including grand historical vistas, a magical arboretum, intimate garden rooms, working kitchen gardens, an exotic glass house and two log stack play areas. During your visit, stop by our delightful café and beautifully curated shop to pick out some treats.

The Other Bennet Sister Exhibition

Fridays-Mondays, 20 March - 31 August

We’re celebrating the launch of BBC One’s new period drama The Other Bennet Sister, filmed here at Dyffryn Gardens, with a very special new exhibition at the property.

It brings the world of the series to life, showcasing exquisite costumes and accessories worn by the stars. From intricate fabrics to carefully crafted period details, it offers a rare opportunity to see the artistry behind the production up close.

As part of the exhibition and following recent conservation work, you can also enjoy rare access to Dyffryn House's Morning Room, Red Drawing Room and Blue Drawing Room - so step inside, stand where the cameras rolled, and immerse yourself in the world of the Bennet sisters.

Summer highlights

In the summer Dyffryn Gardens is full of fragrance and colour. Everywhere you look you will see plants in full bloom. The bedding displays are at their height in July, especially the South Front and Paved Court and the Herbaceous Border gives long lasting colour and interest throughout the summer.

The Arboretum becomes a shade-dappled forest of calm. Last year we reopened two restored sections of the Arboretum which had been overtaken by pervasive weeds and bamboo. There is now a peaceful glade with interesting trees where you can dwell at your leisure. Then follow the meandering path through the Arboretum's meadow, designed as a wandering route amongst the wild orchids.

The gardens act as a summer sanctuary for many bird species including swifts, swallows and house martins. Greenfinches have also been nesting here for the last couple of years so keep an ear out for their song. Dyffryn is also a summer haven for pollinators and our gardens support more than 50 species of bees which you can find foraging in beds and borders all around the garden.

Later in the summer our signature Dahlias will come into bloom along with late summer ginger lily displays, as well as a variety of plants blossoming in the Kitchen Gardens and Exotics Garden.

Herbaceous Border in summer, Dyffryn Gardens, Vale of Glamorgan | © Milly Kelly | National Trust

Mini Meadows

This is the fifthyear of growing our two ‘mini meadows’ on the Great Lawn, either side of the central canal. After last year’s Edwardian swirls (inspired by details from the newly restored house façade), this years’ meadow will take the form of sunbeams, shooting out from the central sundial.

We grow the meadows to increase the diversity of pollinators and insects as well as limit compaction on the South Lawn so that waxcaps can thrive in the autumn. The increase in pollinators and insects then encourages predators like dragonflies. The dragonflies mingle with the damselflies over the water features, home to water lilies and other aquatic plants and their flitting displays are truly spectacular. We also have several other areas of meadow which were established in 2019 - we now have bee orchids (a beautiful species of wild orchid) flowering in May and June flourishing in our meadow spaces.