We handpick our favourites out of the gardens opening their doors for charity this spring in association with the NGS Open Gardens.
Each year the National Gardens Scheme (NGS) sees thousands of gardens opening their doors to the public for charity and since its foundation in 1927 the NGS has donated more than £45 million to its nominated beneficiaries and partners. So if you’re looking to enjoy a weekend of family fun whilst supporting a good cause then why not visit these vibrant spring gardens which will be opening their doors this June.
The National Gardens Scheme celebrates the 300th Anniversary of ‘Capability’ Brown with five ‘Capability’ garden openings this week. This weekend, on 4th June – 5th June, 400 gardens are opening for the NGS Festival Weekend to raise funds for nursing and caring. Click Here to find an NGS garden opening this weekend. Search by date and postcode or county. Check twitter @NGSOpenGardens #destinationgarden for all the news of forthcoming garden openings.
See below for our pick of NGS garden openings throughout this week:
Sunningdale Park, Larch Avenue, Ascot, Berkshire SL5 0QE
With 20 acres of landscaped gardens designed in a Capability Brown style the beautiful Sunningdale Park is well worth a visit come rain or shine. The terrace garden and Victorian rockery were designed by Pulham & Son, including a cave and water features. There is a lake area with paved walks, extensive lawns with specimen trees, flower beds, many rhododendrons and azaleas and a woodland walk to top it off. (Please note: the Grade II listed building is not open)
Opening for the NGS: Tuesday 31 May (2:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.).
Free Tour: Free garden history tour at 3:00 p.m.
Admission: £5.00, children free.
Refreshments: Home-made teas.
Visitors also welcome by arrangement in May (Mon 23 to Fri 27 only), with a guided history tour for groups of 10+. Please enquire about price when booking.
Contact: De Vere Venues 01252 668645 graham.oconnell22@gmail.com www.deverevenues.co.uk/en/venues/sunningdale-park
Click Here for further information, a map and directions.
Goodnestone Park Gardens, Wingham, Canterbury, Kent CT3 1PL
Goodnestone Park Gardens is one of Kent’s outstanding beauty spots and a top favourite for many visitors. Set in 14 acres around an 18th-century house (not open) with views over a cricket ground and parkland, there is always something special to see year-round; from snowdrops and spring bulbs to the famous walled garden with old fashioned roses and a kitchen garden. There are outstanding trees and a woodland garden with cornus collection and hydrangeas later. Other features include 2 arboretums and a contemporary gravel garden. Picnics welcome.
Opening for the NGS: Saturday 4 June (11:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.), Sunday 2 October (12:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.).
Admission: £7.00, child £2.00.
Refreshments: Delicious home-made cakes, cream teas and light lunches.
For other opening times and information, please tel: 01304 840107 or visit www.goodnestoneparkgardens.co.uk.
Disability Information: disabled access.
Click Here for further information, a map and directions.
Claremont Landscape Garden, Portsmouth Road, Esher, Surrey KT10 9JG
Claremont Landscape Garden is one of the earliest surviving English landscape gardens, begun by Sir John Vanbrugh and Charles Bridgeman before 1720 and extended and naturalised by Kent and ‘Capability’ Brown. Stunning features include: a lake; island with pavilion; grotto and turf amphitheatre; viewpoints and avenues.
There is a free guided walk at 2:00 p.m. on both NGS days with a member of the gardening team. The cafe serves home-made cakes, light lunches and afternoon teas.
Step back in time and enjoy the peace and tranquillity of an 18th century landscape garden masterpiece. Garden enthusiasts will recognise some of the famous names in garden history that were involved in Claremont’s development – Sir John Vanbrugh, Charles Bridgeman, William Kent and ‘Capability’ Brown.
At the centre of the garden is a serpentine lake, home to a variety of waterfowl, and overlooked by a grass amphitheatre and grotto. There are many hidden features to enjoy as well as the wider garden walks and a children’s play area. The 49 acre garden offers a fantastic experience for all ages that has been enjoyed by many generations. Enjoy a gentle stroll around the lake or take in the panoramic views as once enjoyed by “Clive of India”. Any visit to Claremont is incomplete without trip to the café with its freshly baked scones, tempting home-made cakes and seasonal lunches.
Opening for the NGS: Sunday 5 June, Sunday 9 October (10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.).
Admission: £8.50, child £4.25.
Refreshments: Light refreshments. Café open daily from 10:00 a.m.
Disability information: Access maps available with recommended route.
2016 Admission Prices: Free to members of the National Trust. Non Members: Adult £8.50, Child £4.25, Family £21.25, under 5s free
Click Here for further details, a map and directions.
Madingley Hall, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire CB23 8AQ
Madingley Hall is a 16th-century Hall (not open) set in 8 acres of attractive grounds landscaped by Capability Brown. Features include a landscaped walled garden with hazel walk, alpine bed, medicinal border and rose pergola. The meadow, topiary, mature trees and wide variety of hardy plants are delightful. St Mary Magdalene Church is open throughout the event.
Opening for the NGS: Sunday 5 June (2.30 p.m. – 5.30 p.m.).
Admission: £5.00, children free.
Refreshments: Home-made teas at St Mary Magdalene Church adjacent to Madingley Hall Drive.
University of Cambridge Tel; 01223 746222
reservations@madingleyhall.co.uk
www.madingleyhall.co.uk
Click Here for further information, a map and directions.
Southill Park, Southill nr Biggleswade, Bedfordshire SG18 9LL
Southill Park house was built for George Byng, 1st Viscount Torrington in the 1720s and ‘Capability’ Brown designed the parkland in 1777. It was sold to the famous brewer, Samuel Whitbread and his family in 1795.
Southill Park marks another highlight in Brown’s life and work which found him in partnership with the young architect Henry Holland Jr, whose father (also Henry Holland) was friends with Brown and worked in the building trade. Brown helped Henry Jr’s career to flourish and Southill Park was re-modeled by Henry Holland.
Opening For the NGS: Sunday 5th June (2:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.).
Admission: £4.00, children free.
Refreshments: Cream teas.
Disability Information: disabled access.
Click Here for further information, a map and directions.
Lambeth Palace, Lambeth Palace Rd, London SE1 7JU
Lambeth Palace has one of the oldest and largest private gardens in London. It has been occupied by the Archbishops of Canterbury since 1197. The formal courtyard boasts an historic White Marseilles fig planted in 1556. Parkland style garden features mature trees, woodland and native planting, orchard and a pond. There is a formal rose terrace, summer gravel border, scented chapel garden and active beehives.
Opening for NGS: Evening opening Tuesday 21 June (5.30 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.).
Admission: £6.00, children free. Glass of wine.
Refreshments: refreshments including wine.
Disability information: disabled access includes ramped path to rose terrace, disabled WC.
Dogs: dogs on leads.
Click Here for further information, a map and directions
Long Close, 60 Main Street, Woodhouse Eaves, Leicestershire LE12 8RZ
Established five acre garden, sometimes referred to as ‘A Cornish Garden in Leicestershire’, due to the many tender trees and plants flourishing there.
The garden is sheltered on all sides by mature native trees. One of the house walls is Norman and this forms part of a walled courtyard which is home to several plants such as Schisandra rubriflora and Sophora tetraptera. Formal terraces slope down from the house to more informal gardens below. Herbaceous borders flank the lawns as do the old, gnarled, trunked, weeping ash and the mature magnolias. The majority of the large collection of rhododendrons and azaleas, many planted as far back as the 1930’s, form the boundaries of the garden and are in magnificent maturity. There are many types of camellias, magnolias, trees and shrubs, most of which are well established. For example, the Magnolia kobus is regarded as one of the best specimens in the country and is spectacularly covered in flowers in the spring. There are wonderful drifts of snowdrops, daffodils and bluebells in Spring. A walled kitchen garden has recently been converted into a potager. Winding, mown paths finally lead you to a natural dappled pool and views over the wild flower meadow to the neighbouring village church. In addition to the garden, paths have been mown to allow the visitors to wander through the meadow which has not been ploughed in living memory, and where many native wild flowers and grasses grow. Both the garden and the meadow are a haven for wildlife. Long Close garden is magnificent at all times, particularly during this season.
Opens for the NGS: Every Wednesday until 17 July (10.30am – 4.30pm).
Every Wednesday to Sunday 1 September to 9 October (10.30am – 4.30pm).
Admission: £4.00, children £0.50.
Visitors also welcome by arrangement April to October, groups min 15. Tea/coffee & biscuits for booked groups. Admission £4, child 50p
Contact: John Oakland 01509 890376 www.longclose.org.uk
Click Here For Further Information
Kew Green Gardens, Kew, London, TW9 3AH
Colour and variety are on offer this Sunday. Kew Green Gardens is a delightful group garden opening featuring four long gardens behind a row of 18thcentury houses on the Green, close to the Royal Botanic Gardens. These gardens feature the profusely planted and traditional borders of a mature English country garden. They contrast formal gardens, terraces and lawns, laid out around tall old trees, with wilder areas, woodland and wild flower planting. One has an unusual architect-designed summerhouse, while another offers the surprise of a modern planting of espaliered miniature fruit trees.
Combined gardens admission: £6.00, children free.
Refreshments: Tea at church on the green.
Evening opening: Sunday 5th June (6pm–8pm).
Combined gardens admission: £8.00, children free.
Wine included.
The gardens in this group are: 65 Kew Green is opening on Sunday 22 May., 69 Kew Green is opening on all of the group opening dates., 71 Kew Green is opening on all of the group opening dates., 73 Kew Green is opening on all of the group opening dates.
Click Here For Further Information
Whixley Gardens, York, Yorkshire, YO26 8AR
Whixley Gardens is set in an attractive rural, yet accessible village nestling on the edge of the York Plain with a beautiful historic church and Queen Anne Hall (not open). The gardens are spread throughout the village with good footpaths. A plantsman’s and flower arranger’s garden at Cobble Cottage has views to the Hambleton Hills. Further towards the village centre are two small well-designed gardens on sloping sites. Ash Tree House with extensive rock garden and borders full of established herbaceous plants, shrubs and roses creating a tapestry of soft colour and textures achieving a cottage garden effect and Lydiate House, recently redesigned, with sloping alpine rockeries, naturalistic borders, foliage plants and unusual perennials. Close to the church, The Old Vicarage, with a ¾-acre walled flower garden, overlooks the old deer park. The walls, house and various structures are festooned with climbers. Gravel and old brick paths lead to hidden seating areas creating the atmosphere of a romantic English garden.
Open For the NGS: Wednesday 22 June (12noon–5pm). Combined admission: £6.00, children free.
Refreshments: Home-made teas at The Old Vicarage.
The gardens in this group are:
Ash Tree House
Cobble Cottage
Lydiate House
The Old Vicarage
Contact Tel: 01423 330474
Click Here For Further Information
The Dower House, Church Square, Melbourne, Derbyshire DE73 8JH
The Dower House has a number of interesting features, including a beautiful view of Melbourne Pool from the balustrade terrace running the length of an 1831 house. The garden drops steeply by paths and steps to the lawn with a herbaceous border and bank of roses at their best in June. The late summer beds look stunning in August and September and the rose tunnel, glade, orchard, hellebores and small woodland are lovely in early spring. There is bog planting, a rockery, herb garden, other small lawns and a vegetable garden. Plus there’s plenty for children who can search for a bronze crocodile, a stone pig and a metal bug. They might also see a huge iron sunflower hanging in a tree and a bronze girl doing cartwheels. Visitors can sit down to unwind on one of the many garden seats while keeping an eye on their children as they do the searching.
Opening information: Saturday 18 June, Sunday 19 June (10am–5pm).
Refreshments: Tea
Admission: £3.50, children free. Visitors also welcome by arrangement, please do not book more than 6 weeks in advance. Admission £3.50, children free.
Contact: William & Griselda Kerr 01332 864756 or 07799 883777 griseldakerr@btinternet.com
Disability information: Wheelchair access to most of garden.
Click Here For Further Information
Dale House Gardens off Church Lane, Goosnargh, Preston, Lancashire PR3 2BE
Set in ½-acre of tastefully landscaped gardens comprising of limestone rockeries, herbaceous borders, raised alpine beds and a well-stocked Koi pond, the Dale House Gardens host a wealth of interesting and attractive features. With lawn areas, a greenhouse and polytunnel, patio areas, rare shrubs and trees and a large collection unusual bulbs the Dale House Gardens hold all year round interest. Furthermore, for any animal lovers there is a large indoor budgerigar aviary with over 300 budgies to view.
Opens for NGS: Saturday 25 June, Sunday 26 June (10am – 4pm).
Admission: £3.50, children free.
Visitors also welcome by arrangement April to June. Please enquire about price when booking. This garden also makes a donation to St Francis Church.
Contact: Caroline & Tom Luke 01772 862464
Refreshments: Home-made teas.
Disability information: Gravel path, lawn areas.
Click Here For Further Information
Hall Green Gardens, Hall Green, Birmingham, West Midlands B28 8SQ
A group of 6 suburban gardens, each unique in style. A large restful garden with mature trees, 2 lawns, cottage style borders, seating areas and small vegetable area. South facing lawn and border garden with interesting features including a log display, conifers, water feature and various artefacts. ‘Find it’ quiz for children. A tranquil garden with curving borders containing different perennials, shade areas, soft fruit and vegetables. A florist’s large suburban garden with many unusual plants giving year round interest, the garden is divided into distinct areas, large ornamental garden with ponds and waterfalls, fruit garden. Plantsman’s garden featuring formal raised pond and hosta collection with unusual perennials and container planting. A shady garden with mature trees, pond and cottage style borders.
Llwyngarreg is a 3-acre plantaholic’s haven with year round impact, from spring bulbs through to glorious autumn shades; tapestries of colour and texture in the many trees, interspersed with unusual shrubs and perennial underplantings. A willow tunnel welcomes visitors into a maturing shelter belt, beyond which lies the main garden with wide mixed borders. Closely planted areas in front of the house and gravel gardens behind. The woodland garden leads down to the potager. Plantsmen will linger to find many gems. Please note: There are several deep ponds so children MUST be closely supervised.
Opening information: Sunday 17 July (1.30 p.m. – 5.30 p.m.). Combined admission £4.00, children free. Home-made teas at 16 Burnaston Rd & 120 Russell Road.
Refreshments: Home-made teas at 16 Burnaston Rd & 120 Russell Road
Disability information: Steps, narrow side access Staplehurst Rd, 16 Burnaston Rd 1 step, ramp available, Boden Rd & 37 Burnaston patio viewing only, Russell Rd door sill.
Opening information: Monday 2 May, Sunday 26 June, Sunday 28 August, Monday 29 August (1.30pm–6pm).
Admission: £4.00, children free. Visitors also welcome by arrangement.
Refreshments: Home-made teas.
Contact Tel: 01994 240717, lizpaulfarm@yahoo.co.uk, www.llwyngarreg.co.uk
Disability information: Partial wheelchair access.
Click Here For Further Details
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