The ten best gardens to visit in the Midlands this August

Since 2001, Ursula and Fred Cholmeley have restored this ancient garden from an overgrown wilderness to the nationally important garden it once was.

The restoration continues year on year with innovative new planting schemes and currently includes herbaceous borders, roses, sweet peas, spring bulbs, cutflower and vegetable gardens set off by limestone buildings and surrounded by beautiful parkland.

Meadow areas increase in diversity each year – it is intended that this should be a garden that works for humans and wildlife.

The Gardens are open Wednesdays to Sundays and Bank Holiday Mondays, 11am – 4pm

Grimsthorpe Castle sits amongst rolling Lincolnshire countryside surrounded by gardens, extensive historic woodland and a 50-acre lake. Descendants of the deer that King Henry VIII hunted now roam the parkland, grazing under ancient oaks.

Families love the adventure playground and miles of traffic-free trails that provide a safe haven to spot wildlife and other hidden delights.

The Park and Garden are open for visitors 10:30am to 6pm, Sundays to Thursdays.

The gardens at Arbury divide into separate areas, one of the most picturesque of which is the Rose Garden surrounded by an ancient yew hedge. Spring flowers are profuse and in June rhododendrons, azaleas and giant wisteria provide a beautiful environment for the visitors.

Arbury Hall Gardens are open to the public on the Bank Holiday Sundays and Mondays from Easter to the end of August, 1pm – 6pm.

Located in the peaceful surroundings of the Herefordshire countryside and sitting at the foot of the beautiful and historic Malvern Hills, Eastnor Castle sits in 100 acres of grounds and is surrounded by a 5,000 acre estate.

In the grounds you will find an arboretum containing the finest collection of Cedars in Britain with tree trails and rope swings. There are several play areas and an established yew maze which was planted in 1994.

The Castle and Grounds are open Sunday 24 July – Thursday 25 August, Sunday to Thursday, and then Sunday 28 August – Monday 29 August.

Over 60 acres of colourful flowers, magnificent forest trees, sweeping lawns and a chain of ornamental pools along the cultivated garden valley and providing a natural habitat for wildfowl and other wildlife.

Whatever the season, visitors will always find something fresh and interesting to ensure an enjoyable outing.

Open every Wednesday, Sunday, and Bank Holiday Monday from Sunday 13 March to Wednesday 30 October.

Althorp is a Grade I listed stately home and estate of about 13,000 acres in the civil parish of Althorp, in West Northamptonshire. By road it is about 6 miles northwest of the county town of Northampton and about 75 miles northwest of central London.

It is the childhood home of Diana, Princess of Wales, and seat of the Earls Spencer.

The Grounds are open to the public from 1 July – 29 August 2022, 11am – 5pm.

The formal gardens of Rockingham Castle were completed in their present form after the English Civil War. The gardens are made up of several rising terraces, from the Terrace Lawn, to the Cross Garden, divided by the famous ‘Elephant’ Yew Hedge. The Rose Garden is situated on the site of the original ‘Keep’, with paths conforming to the internal layout at the time of the Civil War.

The Gardens are open on Sundays, Tuesdays and Bank Holiday Mondays, from 12pm to 5pm.

Boughton is both a family home and one of Britain’s grandest and best-preserved stately homes. The house is renowned for its outstanding collections of fine art, furniture, tapestries, porcelain and carpets.

The surrounding designed landscape has been carefully restored over the last decade with wide sculptured lawns to survey, serene lakes, waterways, woods and avenues of trees to be strolled down.

The formal gardens include the Walled Garden with its herbaceous border, flowerbeds and newly created Sensory Garden.

The Gardens are open to visitors on selected dates in August. View their page to find out more info.

This beautiful garden at Coton Manor occupies a hillside position extending down from the 17th century manor house constructed of mellow Northamptonshire stone.

The 10 acre garden has luxuriant borders that will delight the plant enthusiast while everyone will enjoy the garden’s charm and special atmosphere, with colour and interest throughout the seasons. Beyond the garden is a magical five acre bluebell wood and a wildflower meadow.

The Gardens are open Tuesday to Saturday, 11:30am – 5:00pm.