Parks & gardens

Canons Ashby – (National Trust)

The parkland at Canons Ashby is a wonderful place for a stroll. The formal gardens are an excellent example of early-18th century garden design with well-maintained topiary and a fruit and vegetable garden.

To find out more, including opening times, visit the National Trust website >

Chichele College Gardens

This newly created medieval style garden was a community project funded by a National Lottery Community Spaces grant and the generosity of the local community of Higham Ferrers.

Volunteers cleared the designated areas in late October 2011, in readiness for planting the roses, lilies, lavenders and other plants and trees, of the medieval period. Children from nursery, infant and senior schools were also involved, planting bulbs and trees in the autumn.

The Cloister Garth has four square grassed areas divided by paths, with a gothic urn as a centrepiece. A medieval-style trellis and archway divides the site and leads into the larger grassed area. This recreational area is now used for a range of events to suit all age groups and the community is fully involved in the planting and maintenance of the garden.

The garden is never closed – you can visit at any time –and entry is free to all events.

For more information about the history of the garden and events, visit the Chichele College Garden website >

Cottesbrooke Hall and Gardens

The formal and wild gardens surrounding and adjacent to the house have been mainly developed during the 20th Century and these developments continue today. Many distinguished landscape designers have been involved – Robert Weir Schultz, Sir Geoffrey Jellicoe and Dame Sylvia Crowe to name but a few.

To find out more, including opening times, visit the Cottesbrooke Hall and Gardens website >

Deene Park

The gardens at Deene Park like the house, have undergone many changes over the centuries, but have never looked better than they do today.

The formal gardens on the south side of this beautiful historic house give way to a vista of parkland and lakes linked by a canal; at its narrowest junction the canal is spanned by a fine stone bridge reminiscent of pictures in fairy tale books.

To find out more, including opening times, visit the Deene Park website >

Evenley Wood Garden

Set amongst the beautiful Northamptonshire countryside, this 60-acre privately owned woodland garden contains a large and notable collection of plants; ranging from unusual trees and shrubs to a wide selection of lilies and other bulbs.

The garden’s unusual band of acid soil, in this otherwise predominantly alkaline area, provides the opportunity to cultivate plants such as rhododendrons, camellias, and magnolias, which would not ordinarily thrive in this location.

To find out more, including opening times, visit the Evenley Wood Garden website >

Kelmarsh Hall and Gardens

Within the 18th century setting, the gardens that visitors see at Kelmarsh Hall today are largely inspired by Nancy Lancaster. She extended her interior style of shabby chic charm into the gardens and drafted in the garden designer of her day, the talented Norah Lindsay, to help. Around the Hall the landscape architect Geoffrey Jellicoe laid out a formal terrace.

From the sophisticated pastels of the sunken garden through to the showier shades of the 60m long border, the garden leads you on a tour around the perimeter of a triangular walled garden. This secret heart is a relaxing space filled with traditional fruit and vegetables, cut flower beds and a restored vinery. The produce and cut flowers are sold in the Visitor Centre when available.

These overlays of history within the gardens contributed to the gardens listing by English Heritage as Grade II, a garden of national significance.

To find out more, including opening times, visit the Kelmarsh Hall and Gardens website >

Lamport Hall and Gardens

The Hall is set in tranquil gardens, enclosed by a spacious park. The design has been influenced by the interests and tastes of successive owners. One of the main changes of the 18th century was the planting of box edgings to seven groups of shrubs. Only one remains in the far corner and now encloses a summer house.

Sir Charles Isham is responsible for a remarkable rockery which is the earliest alpine garden in England and rises to 24 feet tall. It was peopled with the world’s first garden gnomes. The only remaining one is on view in the Hall.

Today the gardens include extensive herbaceous borders and shrubbery walks containing rare and interesting plants. The walled cutting garden was replanted in 2010 and is full of unusual tall perennial plants Thought to be one of the largest cutting gardens in England, a vibrant array of colour and variety of plants are intersected by gravelled pathways.

To find out more, including opening times, visit Lamport Hall & Gardens website >

The Old Rectory Gardens, Sudborough

The focal point of the gardens is the striking Georgian Grade II listed house, which was built in the early 19th century, with additions dating from around 1830. Harpers Brook, a tributary of the River Nene, runs through the bottom of the gardens. These include the Rose Circle, Rectory Border and Long Border. Hidden beyond the Potager (the old walled kitchen garden) is the Twisted Hazel garden and, over the bridge, is a short Woodland Walk created from an old iron ore railway cutting.

To find out more, including opening times, visit the Old Rectory Gardens website >

Rockingham Castle Gardens

The Castle stands on the edge of an escarpment giving dramatic views over the Welland Valley and five counties. The Castle architecture has examples from every period of its 950-year history.

Surrounding the Castle there are some 18 acres of gardens largely following the foot print of the medieval castle. The vast 400-year old Elephant Hedge bisects the formal 17th century terraced gardens.

To find out more, including opening times, visit the Rockingham Castle website >