15 of the Best National Trust Gardens You’ll Love!
Like many others, we think one of the biggest benefits of being an NT member is all the beautiful National Trust gardens you can explore for free as part of your membership.
From quaint bridges and blossoming trees to secluded woodlands and meandering walkways, these are some of the very best National Trust gardens we think you’ll love exploring.
We hope you have fun getting outside and enjoying the fresh air at some of these stunning places to visit.
15 of the Best National Trust Gardens You’ll Love!
1. West Green House Garden in Hampshire
If you like the idea of wandering across pretty bridges, by the side of a lake and through wooded areas, then West Green House Garden in Hampshire is for you. It’s such a beautiful and serene place.
Plan your visit to West Green House Garden now >>
2. Bodnant Garden in Wales
Complete with the longest laburnum arch in the UK, several grand terraces, multiple landscaped gardens and over 80 acres to explore, Bodnant Garden in Conwy in Wales simply has to be on your list of National Trust gardens to visit. It’s like seeing multiple gardens in one day!
Find out more about Bodnant Garden >>
3. Stourhead in Dorset
A large glistening lake and magical grottoes and temples await you at Stourhead in Dorset.
We’ve visited in various seasons and had the fortune of seeing fields of daffodils in the spring, flowering trees in the summer and the stunning golden colours of autumn.
It’s a must-see whenever you visit. No wonder it was used as a Pride & Prejudice filming location!
RELATED: 35 Best National Trust Places You’ll Love!
4. The Courts Garden in Wiltshire
The Courts Garden in Wiltshire is another stunning place to visit. Here, you’ll find pretty lily ponds, landscaped gardens, giant sunflowers and even shaded woodlands to explore.
This is such a delightful place to while away a few hours and is an absolute must for garden lovers.
Plan your visit to The Courts Garden now >>
5. Great Chalfield Manor and Garden in Wiltshire
Found within a short ten-minute drive of The Courts Garden is another garden that’s well worth exploring; this time at Great Chalfield Manor.
Not only can you wander through pretty landscaped gardens (including rose gardens), but there’s also a babbling brook here, as well as Great Chalfield Manor itself.
You might also recognise it from The White Princess TV series.
Find out more about Great Chalfield Manor and Garden now >>
6. Hanbury Hall and Gardens in Worcestershire
At Hanbury Hall in Worcestershire, you can enjoy wandering through beautiful walled gardens and sprawling orchards.
When we visited in the spring, we were treated to colourful tulips and blossom trees, but we imagine summer would be an ideal time to visit as well.
Plan your trip to Hanbury Hall and Gardens now >>
RELATED: National Trust Membership Review – How To Get Your Money’s Worth
7. Hidcote in Gloucestershire
No list of the best National Trust gardens would be complete without mentioning Hidcote in Gloucestershire.
This stunning arts and crafts-inspired garden has outdoor “rooms”, each with its own design and features, such as fountains, lily ponds, statues and pergolas.
Find out more about Hidcote >>
8. Mottisfont in Hampshire
Mottisfont in Hampshire was one of the first National Trust places I ever visited. You could say it kickstarted my love of this charity and all the amazing places you can visit for free as a member.
The gardens at Mottisfont are well known for being incredible – especially the walled rose garden you can look forward to in the summer where so many different kinds of roses are in full bloom.
9. Dunster Castle in Devon
While Dunster Castle in Devon has some pretty landscaped gardens to explore, it also has a wider estate, which comes complete with an old arched bridge and riverside walk. Not to mention the views from the top of Dunster Castle are unparalleled!
Find out more about Dunster Castle now >>
RELATED: 13 National Trust Castles Straight Out Of A Fairytale
10. Penrhyn Castle and Garden in Wales
The gardens surrounding Penrhyn Castle in Bangor in Wales are nothing short of magical!
From lily ponds and pillared structures to flowered archways and pretty little bridges, there’s so much to see here for nature lovers.
Plan your trip to Penrhyn Castle >>
11. Newark Park in Gloucestershire
Newark Park in Gloucestershire is one of my favourite National Trust places as it has pretty landscaped gardens, as well as a sprawling estate complete with wooded areas, a pretty lake and stunning views!
Learn more about Newark Park >>
12. Lyme Park in Cheshire
At Lyme Park in the Peak District, you’ll be treated to grand landscaped gardens, a glistening lake and a magnificent mansion to boot. No wonder this stunning place stood in for Mr Darcy’s home within the Pride & Prejudice TV series.
Plan your trip to Lyme Park now >>
RELATED: 3 Day Peak District Weekend Itinerary For First Time Visitors
13. Dyrham Park in Gloucestershire
I like to think of Dyrham Park in Gloucestershire as being a tale of two halves.
There are the formal landscaped gardens to see, as well as the more wild and rugged areas complete with orchards, a pond teeming with wildlife and even a “secret” door leading to the lost terraces.
Find out more about Dyrham Park now >>
14. The Vyne in Hampshire
The Vyne in Hampshire is a stunning 17th-century manor house set within a sprawling estate that has pretty walled gardens, charming woodlands and wetlands full of wildlife.
Just like some of the other National Trust gardens on this list, a trip here feels like visiting multiple places in one.
15. Westbury Court Garden in Gloucestershire
Westbury Court Garden in Gloucestershire might be small, but it’s perfectly formed.
Dating back to the 17th century, this is one of only several surviving examples of a Dutch water garden in the UK.
When you’re here, you can admire canals and Dutch architecture, as well as some of the oldest, rarest and tallest trees in the UK, such as the holm oak and tulip flowering tree. We saw one tree that easily had a trunk several metres wide!
Please note onsite parking is limited here, so you may wish to arrive as soon as it opens (at 11am) – especially if you’re visiting at the weekend or during the school holidays.
Read more about Westbury Court Garden >>
Stunning National Trust Gardens Still On Our Bucket List
- Cliveden in Berkshire
- Waddesdon in Buckinghamshire
- Blickling Estate in Norfolk
- Sissinghurst Castle Garden in Kent
- Studley Royal Water Garden in North Yorkshire
- Trengwaiton Garden in Cornwall
- West Wycombe Park in Buckinghamshire
Looking for more beautiful National Trust places to visit as part of your membership? Take a look at our other blogs for some ideas:
- 35 Best National Trust Places You’ll Love!
- National Trust Cotswolds: 10 Stunning Places To Visit
- National Trust Devon: 10 Incredible Places To Visit
- 13 National Trust Castles Straight Out Of A Fairytale
- National Trust Bucket List: Fancy A Challenge?
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