With longer, brighter days and a hopefully a little bit of warmth gradually returning, spring is the season for visiting glorious gardens!
If you’re a gardener (or simply aspire to being more green-fingered!) then English Heritage has some wonderful and historic gardens they care for in England.
From bulbs to blossom, you can save on your visit with up to 25 per cent off gift and annual memberships …a perfect gift or treat to yourself!
Here’s our pick of English Heritage’s inspiring gardens for gardeners
Wrest Park, Bedfordshire.
Anyone who has ever wondered about the evolution of the English garden should pop along to these vast gardens which are a dramatic showcase of three centuries of landscape design, and, until recently, remained surprisingly secret from the public. Wander around the nine acres of French, Dutch, Italian and English landscaping styles side by side and don’t miss the views down the Long Water to the beautiful Pavilion created by Thomas Archer.
Don’t miss: Garden tours take place on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays at 11.30am and 1.30pm every week until the end of October. Check it out here.
Eltham Palace and Gardens, Greenwich, London.
This former medieval palace, Stephen and Virginia Courtauld transformed the property in the 1930s and the gardens are a rare and fine example of an Arts and Crafts garden. Highlights include the Sunken Rose Garden planted with scented hybrid musk roses and the Rock Garden offers a fine view over the moat and lawns to the house.
Don’t miss: The Spring Fair on April 18 between 10.30am and 4.30pm. See the details here.
Audley End House and Gardens, Essex.
The house and gardens were among the largest and most opulent in Jacobean England. Walk across rolling pastoral parkland designed by the famous ‘Capability’ Brown to the Elysian Garden, with its elegant ‘Tea House’ bridge designed by Robert Adam.
Don’t miss: June may seem a little way off but an Evening Garden Tour is running in partnership with the National Garden Scheme. Suitable for everyone, June 18 from 5.30pm to 7pm. More about Audley End via this link.
Brodsworth Hall and Gardens in Doncaster (Image: English Heritage)
Brodsworth Hall and Gardens, Doncaster.
A sleeping beauty for the majority of the 20th century, the gardens have now come back to life. This 15-acre garden is connected by tunnels, bridges and meandering pathways which provide visitors with beautiful visual surprises at every turn. One highlight is the Rose Garden, with its 45-metre pergola draped in authentic scented roses, honeysuckle and vines.
Don’t miss: A Season of Flowers runs until November and celebrates Sylvia Grant-Dalton’s recreated garden room. See the finer details on the website.
Walmer Castle and Gardens, Kent.
There is plenty to enjoy in the glorious gardens, with flower-filled borders, a kitchen garden, wildflower meadows, shady woodland walks and children will love the brilliant play trail through the woods. Parts of the gardens, which were inaccessible for more than a century, including the stunning chalk quarry, Glen Garden, have been restored.
Don’t miss: Garden history tours take place every Wednesday at 2.30pm. The tour, led by a knowledgeable guide, takes around and hour and is offered on a first-come, first-served basis. Plan your day at Walmer Castle and Gardens via the English Heritage website.
Want to save on your visit? We’ve teamed up with English Heritage to offer 25 per cent off gift and annual memberships which gives the chance to see its sites in every season.
What’s more English Heritage membership allows every member to take up to six children under the age of 18 within the family group into any of the English Heritage properties at no extra charge.
Want to find out more? Simply click here!
Use code AFFNW25 at the checkout.
Offer ends: December 31, 2026.
T&C’s: For use on new membership purchases only. Annual direct debit only.
