Our favourite selection of Cumbrian Spring Gardens

We have some amazing gardens throughout the Lake District, that are beautiful throughout the seasons, but we do love a wander through a garden in the spring.   The days are getting lighter and longer, plenty of birdsong and spring flowers and blossom brightening our day.

Read on for our small selection of lovely Spring gardens for you to explore…. .

Holehird Gardens, Windermere

Located in a stunning setting overlooking Windermere, it’s a 10 acre fellside garden, managed by the Lakeland Horticultural Society, Holehird is an award-winning RHS Partner Garden.

Holehird Gardens has been home to the Lakeland Horticultural Society since 1969.  However, written records of Holehird go back to the 17th century when a large part of the area was owned by Thomas Hird and his family. The Walled Garden, with its herbaceous borders and island beds, is the centrepiece of Holehird Gardens and is beautiful at any time of the year.  In spring everything comes to life and the colours are just incredible.  Elsewhere in the garden you will find spring bulbs, collections of rhododendrons, hydrangeas, alpines, six National Collections and much more.

The Gardens are open to visitors every day, from dawn to dusk.  Visitor Information is normally manned by volunteers from 10am to 4pm daily, from April to October.

Holehird Walled Garden

Fell Foot Park, Newby Bridge

Fell Foot was once home to a glorious Georgian villa on the southern shore of Lake Windermere. Today, the house has gone but 45 acres of spring gardens, and wild flower meadows makes this a real all-season gem. Free for National Trust members and a great place to park up and explore on foot or by paddle. Fell Foot is unique in the Lake District, with a complex of historic gothic boathouses, one is now a cafe and another a shop. Its modern Active Base facilities for those water sport activity lovers and open parkland with play area for little ones. Here you’ll find a Pinetum, garden and native flower meadows. There is an easy 1.6 mile heritage circular walk, enjoy a picnic on the lawns or a dip in the lake the choice is yours.

Fell Foot Park, Windermere

Brantwood House, Coniston

This 18th century house and garden occupies a wonderful location overlooking Coniston Water. Today it still houses the quirky character of its most famous occupant, Victorian art critic, John Ruskin. It’s truly brimming with fascinating treasures from this avid collector’s 28 years living in the Lake District.  The estate ranges from lakeshore meadows to high, open fell with a stunning diversity of flora and fauna. A range of trails thread the estate and a trail guide is available in the shop.

At the Estate’s heart are eight unique and beautiful gardens which continue the many radical experiments in land management and horticulture which Ruskin began. They cover three areas – the northern and southern gardens, which involve some walking uphill, and the lower gardens which are suitable for all.  Dogs on a lead are allowed in the gardens.

Brantwood House, Coniston

Larch Cottage Nurseries, Penrith

Hidden away in the tiny hamlet of Melkinthorpe in the Eden Valley is one of the country’s great horticultural gems. Established by the Cumbrian landscape designer Peter Stott, the owner in 1984, the business has grown from originally providing plants for his landscaping business into a true garden of Eden with a thriving nursery.

Romanesque walls, draped with greenery, act as a backdrop for the plant displays bursting with mature stock plants that have been cultivated on the local land. There’s an intimacy and tranquillity to these gardens, over the years Peter has created romantic settings with pathways that lead the visitor on a journey through abundant herbaceous borders dotted with giant urns and statuary.

There is also a shop and restaurant at Larch Cottage to really help you unwind and soak up the peacefulness of the place.

Larch Cottage Nurseries

Sizergh Castle, Kendal

Sizergh’s beautiful gardens, estate walks, adventure trails, woodland discoveries and birdwatching mean you could spend all your time here outdoors. With acres of wetland and woodland to explore, along with the formal gardens, and one of the best fern and acer collections in the UK.  You’ll also discover informal wild flower meadows, down to the bird hides Moss at Low Park, where you’ll see migrating birds coming and going.  After all that you’ll need some refreshment so Ashbank Cafe beckons.

Sizergh Castle in spring

Holker Hall, Cark-in-Cartmel

The 25 acres of formal and informal gardens at Holker Hall are stunning all year round, and if you go in spring you’ll enjoy the enormous rhododendrons in full flower, along with the iconic Neptune Cascade at its best, and the gorgeous tulips in the formal garden.  Spring bulbs sprout in the vast grass amphitheatre. Bluebells  and wild garlic will follow in the lush, green woodland and the ultimate sign of spring – all types of blossom – cherry blossom, apple blossom, hawthorn. The house itself dates back to the 1600s,  and is still the home of the Cavendish family -and the whole place is surrounded by 200 acres of parkland – where you’ll see the estate’s fallow deer roaming in the trees.

Holker garden in the spring

Wherever you choose to go, they all have cafe’s or tearooms, and many have shops to browse, selling fabulous local produce.

If you love all things gardening here’s a couple of our local garden centres to browse too:

Beetham Nurseries & Garden Centre:  Beetham, near Milnthorpe.  Lovely garden centre, with excellent café and shop.

Grasmere Garden Village: Grasmere. Cafe, gift shop including clothes and garden centre right in the heart of Grasmere village

Hayes Garden World, Ambleside – large gift shop, garden centre, café and Christmas central!

Abi & Tom’s Garden Plants: Halecat, nr Kendal. Garden plant centre

Ellie’s Hill Foot Garden Centre: Ulverston. Garden centre, cafe, florist and shop.

Browse our cottages here