Autumn gardens to visit across the UK

Autumn’s a glorious season in the garden. The perfectly balanced days bring crisp mornings and heavy dews and the crystal-clear light adds a jewel box quality. It’s the perfect time to blow away the cobwebs, kick through the autumn leaves and drink in the spectacle before winter descends – for every day is precious at this time of year. If there’s a lake and a view, so much the better, because the landscape is beginning to lose the froth of summer. Here are twenty of the very best places to visit, for a walk on the wild side!

Sheffield Park and Garden

This 18th century Capability Brown landscape is the autumn jewel in the National Trust’s crown, so it’s advisable to book a slot in this popular garden. There are 250 acres to explore and there are plenty of woodland walks to enjoy and the paths are buggy and wheelchair friendly. You can picnic and take a dog in this child-friendly garden, full of activities, although there’s a good café as well. There are wide-open spaces, full of dramatic skies, and there are four lakes to mirror the autumn colour. The famous Bluebell Line Railway stops at the garden, so you could arrive in style.

Address: Sheffield Park, Sheffield Green, Uckfield TN22 3QX
More information: www.nationaltrust.org.uk/sheffield-park-and-garden / 01825 790231

The National Botanic Garden of Wales, Carmarthenshire

Now in its 22nd year, this botanic garden has a fine collection of trees and the autumnal trail will lead to the most spectacular ones, whether it’s fiery Japanese maples or liquidambars. Look out for the paper bark maple, with its cinnamon-brown peeling bark, and sniff out the burnt sugar trees, or Katsura, in the Broadwalk. There are lots of places to eat, but dogs are only welcome on certain days.

Address: Llanarthne, Carmarthenshire, SA32 8HN
More information: www.botanicgarden.wales / 01558 667149

Hever Castle, Kent

Hever Castle is a delight and the castle, once the childhood home of Anne Boleyn, is garlanded with fiery Boston ivy. Stroll past the dahlia borders, through the William Waldorf Astor’s Italianate Garden to the landscape garden beyond. Walk the edge of the 38-acre lake and discover the Italian Loggia and Japanese Tea House, set among amber-leaved giant oaks, butter-yellow larch and red Japanese acers. You can even enjoy a boat ride on the lake. There’s a lovely relaxed atmosphere in this garden and dogs are welcome too.

Address: Hever Rd, Hever, Edenbridge TN8 7NG
More information: www.hevercastle.co.uk / 01732 865224

Cragside, Northumberland

There are an estimated 7 million trees planted around Lord and Lady Armstrong’s Victorian mansion and you might even catch sight of a red squirrel. Admire the rocky crags, tumbling water and lakes and then head through the Rock Garden and across the Iron Bridge to admire the autumnal reds, yellows and oranges. Dogs (on leads at all times) are welcome in all the outdoor areas and wheelchairs are available to borrow from the shop. Please book in advance.

Address: Rothbury, Morpeth, Northumberland, NE65 7PX
More information: www.nationaltrust.org.uk/cragside / 01669 620333

Gibside, Tyne and Wear

Gibside is one of the few surviving Georgian Landscape Gardens and there are 600 acres, so it’s the perfect place to escape the hustle and bustle of modern life. There are fine views over the Derwent Valley and you may spot roe deer crossing the steep sided dene. They may still have their red-orange summer coats, or they may have developed their thick grey-brown winter livery. The Explorer Trail is great for families of all ages and you’ll encounter the Nature Playscape, Low Ropes Course, Den Building Area and Strawberry Castle play area, complete with zip wire. Dogs are welcome on leads and there are plenty of other trails to follow.

Address: Rowlands Gill, Gateshead, Tyne & Wear, NE16 6BG
More information: www.nationaltrust.org.uk/gibside / 01207 541820

Exbury Gardens and Steam Railway

The de Rothschilds family have been here for a hundred years and they knew how to pick a spot, for Exbury nestles close to Poole Harbour on the southern edge of the New Forest. The New River Walk will lead you down to the sea, through trees that are starting to shed their leaves. If you have children with you head for the Dragonfly Pond, because this wonderful garden is a dragonfly hotspot. There are so many fine trees here, you’ll be spoilt for choice. Colour abounds in very spot.

Address: Exbury, Southampton, SO45 1AZ
More information: www.exbury.co.uk / 123 8089 1203

Mount Stewart, County Down

There’s a one-mile wheelchair friendly route around the lake and the view is alive with colour, because Mount Stewart’s benign microclimate encourages the Japanese acers to colour up spectacularly well. Mobility scooters are available to hire, but must be prebooked. You can also explore five and a half miles of walking trails and there is a Hidden Glen. The Arts and Crafts outdoor rooms wear a decadent air in autumn and the Rose Garden blooms late into the year. This garden is one of the last few strongholds of our native red squirrel. In early autumn they forage for fallen seeds and store them for winter. Dogs are welcome, but must remain on a short lead.

Address: Portaferry Road, Newtownards, County Down, BT22 2AD
More information: mountstewart@nationaltrust.org.uk / 02842 788387

Bodiam Castle, East Sussex

Bodiam Castle is a dreamy affair with turreted stone towers surrounded by a wide moat. This 14th century castle is accessed by a wooden bridge over the moat, so children love to visit. Autumn is the perfect time to climb the steep spiral staircases, to the top of the towers. You’ll be rewarded with the most incredible views across the River Rother valley towards Ewhurst Green and east towards Newenden. There’s a half-term Dragon Hunt and family trail from the 24th –30th of October. It’s £2 per child and includes a small prize. Dogs are welcome on short leads in the grounds.

Address: Bodiam, Robertsbridge TN32 5UA
More information: www.nationaltrust.org.uk/bodiam-castle / 01580 830196

Dyrham Park, South Gloucestershire

Dyrham Park’s ancient parkland and garden surround a 17th-century house and you may recognise the imposing mansion if you watched Sanditon. Brand new parkland paths, guaranteeing year-round access whatever-the-weather, are now open and there are also plenty of benches and seat to enjoy the view towards Bath. There are 270 acres of parkland to enjoy and plenty of autumn leaves to scuff through. The falling pears, which visitors can help collect, are sent off and made into perry. Dogs are not allowed, with the exception of assistance dogs, because there’s herd of fallow deer.

Address: Dyrham, Bath, Chippenham SN14 8HY
More information: www.nationaltrust.org.uk/dyrham-park / 0117 937 2501

Castle Howard and Yorkshire Arboretum, Yorkshire

There are a thousand acres of parkland to explore at Castle Howard and you’ll find extensive woodland walks, temples, lakes and fountains on your travels. There are fabulous views over the Howardian Hills, a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The Yorkshire Arboretum, containing choice trees from all over the globe, is only next door so try to make time for both. Ray Wood is alive with autumn colour and families will enjoy the Adventure Playground on Skelf Island. A series of rope bridges, slides, nets, and climbing equipment allow to reach treetop nests.

Address: Castle Howard, York YO60 7DA
More information: www.castlehoward.co.uk / 01653 648333

Dunham Massey, Cheshire

If you visit in October, you may well hear the booming noise made by the rutting stags of Dunham’s fallow deer strutting their stuff in the medieval deer park. There are deer rutting walks on offer, but fighting can be merciless when two bucks refuse to back down. Make sure to watch from a safe distance and keep your dog on a short lead. Dunham’s autumn colours will be reflected in the moat and you can come back in winter too, because Dunham has the largest winter garden in the UK. Wheelchairs are available to hire by calling 0161 941 1025 and there’s a shuttle buggy between the car park and gardens on most days.

Address: Charcoal Road, Dunham Massey, Altrincham, Greater Manchester, WA14 4SJ
More information: www.nationaltrust.org.uk/dunham-massey / 0161 941 1025

Errdig, Wrexham 

If you’re fascinated by fruit trees, particularly apples, there are over 200 varieties in Erdigg’s formally laid out orchard. They’re skilfully pruned into pyramid shapes in the Victorian style. The garden celebrates apple harvesting every year, usually during the first week of October. There’s more plenty more to see and do though, on this 1,200 acre estate. The Yorke family, who owned it for 300 years, commissioned landscape architect William Emes to create the parkland between 1768 and 1780. Eme’s Cup and Saucer waterfall, which works by gathering water in a shallow circular stone basin before sending it straight down to an underground tunnel, is still working today. Well-behaved dogs are welcome.

Address: Erddig, Wrexham LL13 0YT
More information: www.nationaltrust.org.uk/erddig / 01978 355314

Sir Howard Hillier Gardens, Hampshire

Plant lover and nurseryman, Sir Harold Hillier, planted up 180 acres with over 42,000 trees and shrubs from 1953 onwards until it was entrusted to Hampshire County Council in 1977. They boast the largest collection of champion trees, the largest recorded or only known specimens in the UK, and there are six hundred in all. It’s possible to book a head gardener’s tour and there are also tours by famous plantsman Roy Lancaster, a previous Curator. Ornamental borders are another feature of this garden so colour abounds and this garden is worth visiting throughout the year, thanks to Sir Harold Hillier.

Address: Jermyns Ln, Romsey SO51 0QA
More information: www.hants.gov.uk / 01794 368787

Sheringham Park, Norfolk 

If you want to experience a fungal foray, there’s no better place than Sheringham Park, where over a 100 species can be found popping up through the leaf litter, including nationally rare lilac mushrooms and golden bootlegs. Overhead colour comes from butter-yellow larches, a deciduous conifer, and Japanese maples. Veteran beech and oak trees provide a golden display in the Wild Garden, often coinciding with the colourful show of fungi.  Rowan berries decorate the park providing a food source for many birds and migrating flocks of fieldfare and redwings feast on them as they arrive for winter. There’s a ticketed evening Owl Prowl on the 30th September. Manual wheelchairs and mobility scooters available to hire on a first come, first served basis from 10am.

Address: Visitor Centre, Wood Farm, Sheringham NR26 8TL
More information: sheringhampark@nationaltrust.co.uk / 01263 820550

Allan Bank and Grasmere, Cumbria

This Georgian villa, once home to William Wordsworth and Hardwicke Rawnsley, enjoys views over Grasmere and the Lakeland fells beyond. As autumn descends, the colours deepen and warm, and there are plenty of walks round Grasmere. It’s another good place for fungi, but you will need to bring your own refreshments or search out somewhere in Grasmere, because there’s no café here. It’s a perfect spot for a picnic though and do check the house for opening times. It’s now open to the public for the first time this year.

Address: Grasmere, Ambleside LA22 9QB
More information: www.nationaltrust.org.uk/allan-bank-and-grasmere / 01539 435143

Ness Botanic Gardens, University of Liverpool

Ness is a historic garden that once belonged to Arthur Kilpin Bulley, one of the most prolific plant collectors of the twentieth century. Bulley sponsored George Forrest’s expedition to Yunnan, and he also sponsored Frank Kingdon-Ward, so this 64-acre garden bordering the River Dee is home to many Chinese and Himalayan specimens. Bulley introduced gentians, rhododendrons and camellias. Today there’s a heather garden, wildflower meadows, wilderness areas, an azalea walk, pine woods, herbaceous borders, water gardens, a turf maze, and a rock garden. It’s good in autumn, or at any time in the year.

Address: Neston Rd, Little Neston, Ness CH64 4AY
More information: www.liverpool.ac.uk/ness-gardens/ / 0151 795 6300

Llanerchaeron, Ceredigion

Step back in time and visit this Welsh country estate in the wooded Aeron valley, with its Georgian villa designed by John Nash. It’s remained remarkably unaltered for over 200 years and it’s such a peaceful setting. Enjoy a spectacular display of colour in the woodlands and wild parkland, as the leaves turn a fiery mix of red, ochre and bronze. Or sit quietly and do some wildlife spotting, from birds to bats and from otters to smaller mammals. Dogs are welcome on the estate, but must be kept on short leads. You can also see the farmyard, the walled garden and lake and there’s a rare collection of traditional agricultural and domestic machinery. There’s an Apple Week in October and a Halloween Trail.

Address: Llanerchaeron, A482, Ciliau Aeron, Lampeter SA48 8DG
More information: www.nationaltrust.org.uk/llanerchaeron / 01545 570200

Brodsworth Hall, Doncaster

Restored after years of neglect, the 15 acres of pleasure grounds at Brodsworth are now some of the most remarkable Victorian gardens in the country. The fine collection of ornamental trees is resplendent in autumn and Brodsworth’s immaculate topiary and fern dell also shine now, so there’s a crisp contrast between the evergreen foliage and fiery acers. The impressive collection of 100 different hollies, many of them Victorian survivors, are beginning to berry up and feed the birds.

Address: Brodsworth, Doncaster, South Yorkshire DN5 7XJ
More information: www.english-heritage.org.uk / 01302 772598

Stourhead, Wiltshire

Stourhead, inspired by the works of artists Claude Lorrain and Gaspard Dughet, was created by Henry Hoare II in the 18th century. This landscape garden is at its most beautiful in autumn, when richly coloured foliage frames the ornamental lake. Reflected in this body of water are classical temples, mystical grottoes and rare and exotic trees.

Address: Stourton, Warminster BA12 6QF
More information: www.nationaltrust.org.uk/stourhead / 01747 841152

Wakehurst Place (The Royal Botanic Gardens Kew) Sussex

This is Kew Garden’s country home, in the High Weald of Sussex, an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The high rainfall and moisture retentive heavy soil help to create a special microclimate that suits Wakehurst’s plants really well. Pre-lock down, visitors tended to stay in the formal gardens close to the house, but during and after they discovered Wakehurst’s wilder side. Walk down the steep ravine, where trees like limes, magnolia, rhododendrons, maples and birches thrive. Visit the Winter Garden, or get dazzled by pale trunks of the Himalayan birches in Bethlehem Wood. Foxes, badgers, and dormice are just some of the wild animals that call Wakehurst home.

Address: Ardingly, Haywards Heath, Sussex, RH17 6TN
More information: www.kew.org/wakehurst/visit-wakehurst / 01444 894066