Summer gardens

Waterperry Gardens, Oxfordshire (c) VisitEngland

Summer is the season of colour and life - celebrate in an English garden

Ness Botanic Garden, Cheshire (c) VisitEngland Ness Botanic Garden, Cheshire

Enjoy the sunshine as fountains sparkle, rhododendrons lift their heads, and herbaceous borders become plump with foliage. 

The Dingle in The Quarry, Shrewsbury

The Dingle in The Quarry Park, Shrewsbury (c)Shropshire Council, Shropshire Tourism The Dingle in The Quarry

A floral masterpiece created by the gardening legend Percy Thrower, of Blue Peter fame, during his 28 years as Shrewsbury’s Park Superintendent. A beautiful sunken garden with a colourful display of bedding plants, shrubbery and water features, The Dingle is a public garden free to enjoy nearly every day. Located in The Quarry, Shrewsbury’s riverside public park.

Find out more about The Dingle in the Quarry

Ness Botanic Gardens, Cheshire

Ness Botanic Garden, Cheshire (c) VisitEngland Ness Botanic Garden

The combination of herbaceous borders, and the dazzling colour of azaleas, rhododendrons, primulas and astrantia in full bloom, and the beautiful wildflower borders make the Ness Botanic gardens a must-see during the summer. Don’t miss the wildlife, including 18 different types of butterfly and dragonflies over the Water Gardens, as you explore a beautiful array of flowers in full bloom.

Find out more about Ness Botanic Gardens

Waterperry Gardens, Oxfordshire

Waterperry Gardens, Oxfordshire (c) VisitEngland Waterperry Gardens

Features a 60-metre long herbaceous border – one of the finest in England – for leisurely strolls in the summer sushine. The intricate formal knot garden is a delight to observe, and tranquil riverside walks provide ther perfect place to relax and unwind. Five acres of commercial orchards produce Waterperry apple juice, available in the garden shop, alongside honey produced by Waterperry bees.

Find out more about Waterperry Gardens

Burnby Hall Gardens and Museum, Yorkshire

Burnby Hall Gardens and Museum, Yorkshire (c)Welcome to Yorkshire Burnby Hall Gardens and Museum

A haven of beauty and tranquillity, and home to a national collection of over 100 varieties of hardy water lily, the Burby Hall Gardens are the perfect place ot soak up the sun. Providing one of the biggest water lily displays in a natural setting in Europe, they can be seen in all their splendour in the summer months, reaching their peak between June and August.

Find out more about Burnby Hall Gardens and Museum

Jane Austen’s House Museum, Hampshire

Jane Austen's House Museum garden, Hampshire (c) VisitEngland Jane Austen's House Museum

The garden is a profusion of flowers filling the area with colour and scent. Planted with flowers that Jane Austen would have known and loved – cornflowers, poppies, marigolds, roses, daisies, hollyhocks and an array of other heirloom blooms, the Jane Austin House Museum Garden will transport you back in time and allow you to live your regency imaginings.

Find out more about Jane Austen's House Museum

Helmingham Hall Gardens, Suffolk

Helmingham Hall Gardens, Suffolk (c) VisitEngland Helmingham Hall Gardens

These spectacular grade I listed gardens were redesigned by the owner of Helmingham Hall and Chelsea Gold Medallist, Lady Tollemache. Set in a 400-acre deer park, the house is an idyllic place to relax in. As the summer intensifies, the colours of the herbaceous borders strengthen with rich bronzes, deep reds and yellows coming to the fore. Open on selected days from May to September.

Find out more about Helmingham Hall and Gardens

For more English gardens, try Gardens of the Rich and Famous

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