×

SEARCH

News & Views

Listed buildings and their gardens: Putt...

17 April 2025

Listed buildings and their gardens: Putting a spring in your step

By Joanne Townsend Administration Assistant

A stone pathway bordered by purple flowers and green plants under a leafy, flowering archway in a garden.

Share

It’s felt like a very long winter and now that spring is upon us, it brings with it a new burst of life and the blossoming of beautiful flowers.

The days are getting longer and it’s the perfect time to experience nature coming back to life, from magnolias to daffodils, snowdrops and all the other spring blooms that we love.

Springtime in the UK offers a spectacular opportunity to immerse yourself in the vibrant beauty of its gardens.

There are countless beautiful gardens to visit up and down the country with beautiful green space and flower beds to explore all with a connection to a historic listed bit of history.

We have selected a handful of our favourite gardens to enjoy this season.

A stone building stands by a large pond surrounded by trees and blooming purple flowers under a clear blue sky.

Scotney Castle

Belonging to the National Trust, the Gardens at Grade 1 listed Scotney Castle in Lamberhurst have spectacular displays of rhododendrons, azaleas and kalmia and it has been amazingly designed.

The grounds cover 700 acres and has a moat, quarry garden, woodland glade and hidden walkways, there are so many wonderful walks and viewpoints within the grounds

There is a separate octagonal walled kitchen garden which is filled with fruit trees, vegetable beds and beautiful flowers. It definitely comes to life at this time of year.

To find out more about visiting Scotney Castle click here Scotney Castle | Kent | National Trust

Holland Park

Not far from St Jame’s Park, lies Holland Park which is one of London’s prettiest gardens at springtime. Holland Park is a Grade 2 listed park and on the National Heritage List for England.

Its tulips and primroses are arranged in meticulous patterns bordered by diamond hedges surrounding the central sculpture, it’s a huge display of colour and new life.

Also nestled within Holland Park, lies Kyoto Gardens. It is found almost right in the centre of the park and is a captivating charming Japanese garden, It is a hidden oasis amongst London’s hustle and bustle.

Kyoto Gardens was added to the park in 1991 to celebrate the 1992 Japan festival in London. Central to it all is the famous waterfall which runs into a pond with Koi carp swimming around and if you are in London this really is worth stopping by.

For more information, please click here Holland Park | Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea

A Japanese garden with a pond, rocks, colorful trees, and pigeons by the water’s edge under bright daylight.

A stone bridge crosses a reflective pond in a landscaped garden with a domed pavilion and trees in the background.

Stourhead

Grade 1 listed Stourhead House in Wiltshire has a world-famous landscape garden with a lake as its centrepiece. Amongst the beautiful grounds are classical temples and mystical grottoes.

If you recognise the grounds, this could be because it was used as a filming location in the 2005 film adaption of Jane Austin’s ‘Pride and Prejudice’.

In the spring months, the Parklands are filled with amazing colour with an abundance of flowers such as magnolia, rhododendrons and azaleas. The lawns are immaculate and the views are spectacular. It really is a must see at this time of year.

To find out more please click here Stourhead | Wiltshire | National Trust

Hidcote

Hidcote Manor in Gloucestershire is Grade 1 listed and features plants from all over the world. British garden designer and plantsman Lawrence Johnson owned, designed and was very passionate about the gardens.

The garden is divided into a series of ‘outdoor rooms’, each with its own character, and there are so many different and unusual varieties of plants bringing bursts of colour and amazing scents to the garden. You will find drifts of narcissus and Welsh poppies in the Pillar Garden, and the blossom filled orchard and wildflowers really are a beautiful sight to see.

For more information about Hidcote please click here Hidcote | Gloucestershire | National Trust

A lush garden with a wrought iron gate, stone wall, and a historic stone building in the background under a cloudy sky.

Sudeley Castle and Gardens

This Grade 1 listed castle, located in the parish of Sudeley, is nestled within the Cotswold hills and has 10 notable gardens covering 15 acres within the Estate.

There is so much to discover in these award-winning gardens, including the Mulberry Garden which is filled with country flowers and greenery for most of the year. At the heart of the garden lies an ancient mulberry tree, planted by Emma Dent in the 19th century.

The Knot Garden is a sheltered courtyard garden which includes around 1,200 box hedges which form an intricate design, based on a pattern from a dress worn by Elizabeth I in a famous portrait, The Allegory if the Tudor Succession, which is found at Sudeley Castle.

The Secret Garden is a beautiful, intimate and sheltered spot which was re-planted in 1979 by Elizabeth, Lady Ashcombe because she wanted to create a ‘secret garden’ as a celebration of her marriage to Lord Ashcombe.

The above is only a couple of the spectacular gardens on offer at Sudeley, there really is so much more to see and to find out more, click here. Sudeley Castle & Gardens || Wedding | Historic Attraction

A garden scene with various green plants, shrubs, and flowering bushes under trees on a sunny day.

Arduaine Gardens

These spectacular, exotic gardens in Scotland are full of colour and fragrance and a visit here in the spring is truly breathtaking. Arduaine is a 20 acre coastal garden that was originally created for Grade C listed Arduaine House. It has a great variety of flowering shrubs and trees, bamboos, ferns, a large perennial collection in many mixed borders and numerous ponds and watercourses growing water lilies.

The plants here come from all over the world, from East Asia to South America, creating vibrant colours whatever the season.

The garden features a renowned collection of rhododendrons, colourful azaleas and magnolias at this time of year and the garden really does have a huge sense of calm.

To find out more about Arduaine ardens click here Arduaine Garden | National Trust for Scotland

Tatton Park

Tatton Park is located in the heart of Cheshire and is one of the most renowned gardens in the region. It spans over 1000 acres of parkland and has an elegant mansion, as well as 50 acres of beautiful gardens. The area includes many listed buildings and the park itself is a Grade 2* listed.

The impressive gardens are a product of almost 300 years of cultivation and all of the different area of the garden provide their own atmosphere, plant and tree varieties.

There is lots to explore here including the beauty of the Japanese Garden, the Walled Kitchen Garden the historic Glasshouses and not forgetting the highlight of the formal Italian Garden where you will find ornate limestone paving which complements the elegant fountain and flower beds.

For more information, please click here Gardens at Tatton Park

A pond surrounded by colorful blooming shrubs and tall trees, with reflections on the water and lily pads on the surface.

Formal garden with colorful flower beds and trimmed hedges in front of a historic stone building and church.

Lanhydock House and Garden

These amazing gardens are bursting with vibrant colours from March onwards. Lannhydock is Grade a 1 National Trust property with both beautiful formal and informal gardens. There is an extensive woodland walk with rare trees and flowering shrubs, which is perfect for the springtime weather.

There has been a garden at Lanhydrock since the 17^th century, but the one there today, was established in the Victorian period and some of the plants are over 80 years old.

Lanhydrock is famous for its magnolia trees; There is a magnolia glade and you will find a magnolia arch by the thatched cottage which is great for photos. You can also explore the neat flower beds, blooming borders and fragrant plants.

To find out more information, please click here Lanhydrock | Cornwall | National Trust

If there’s not a garden near you listed above, there is bound to be one not too far away so why not plan a visit to a local garden, pack your walking shoes, grab your camera and embrace the full beauty of the UK’s gardens in full bloom this spring.

Written by

Related products

Listed properties hold an important place in our national heritage. As a result, there are certain laws around the changes you can make to your home both inside and out, to help preserve the features and character that make it individual. Insuring your listed home is therefore more complex, but it is also absolutely vital.

Find out more about listed building insurance

Call Us

Call us on 01622 476433 and speak to a member of our team

CALL US

Email Us

Email info@abode-insurance.com and a member of our team will get in touch with you

email us

Complete our quote form

Complete our quote form and a member of the team will be in touch with you shortly

contact us

Listed buildings and their gardens: Putting a spring in your step