Gardens of Lake District
About this tour
The Lake District is one of the most beautiful corners of England, and its gardens are shaped by all of it: the shimmering lakes, the rolling parkland, the dramatic fells and a soft, damp climate that so many plants adore. From grand historic estates to lovingly restored landscapes and intimate private treasures, this is a region where horticulture and scenery are inseparable.
This BBC Gardeners’ World Magazine tour, based at Low Wood Bay on the shore of Lake Windermere, gathers some of the finest gardens in the Lakes, famous for their roses, rhododendrons, blue poppies and herbaceous borders. Along the way we follow in the footsteps of William Wordsworth and John Ruskin, and enjoy exclusive guided visits to gardens both celebrated and hidden.
Garden highlights
- Dalemain - herbaceous borders, roses and famous Himalayan blue poppies
- Lowther Castle - dramatic ruins amid a boldly regenerated landscape
- Holehird Gardens - rhododendrons, hydrangeas, alpines and much more above Windermere
- Rydal Mount - home of William Wordsworth with garden created by the poet, overlooking the fells
- Holker Hall Gardens - 25 acres of formal and woodland gardens in a great estate
- Levens Hall - the world's oldest topiary garden, with more than a hundred clipped yews
- Brantwood - John Ruskin's garden on the shore of Coniston Water
- Yews Estate - historic Art's and Crafts garden overlooking Lake Windermere
Destination highlights
- Shimmering lakes, rolling parkland and dramatic fells
- Rhododendrons, blue poppies and the plants that love a damp climate
- The literary heritage of Wordsworth at Rydal Mount and Ruskin at Brantwood
- Time to enjoy the picturesque villages of Grasmere and Cartmel
- Famous topiary and great estate gardens
- A comfortable base on the shore of Windermere
Booking details
Next departure: 18 July 2027
Operator: Travel Editions
Book with Travel EditionsWhat you'll learn
The Lakes are a tour de force in gardening with a cool, wet climate and a mountainous landscape. You will look at how rhododendrons, blue poppies and moisture-loving plants thrive here, how great estate gardens are composed within such dramatic scenery, and how a garden like Levens keeps centuries-old topiary in peak condition. There is plenty to take home for anyone who gardens in a wetter, cooler spot, and ideas on structure, shelter and making the most of a view.
Gardens you'll visit
Dalemain
award-winning plantsman's paradise, blending historic Elizabethan knot designs with 200 rose varieties and rare Himalayan blue poppies, all set against breathtaking Cumbrian fell views
Lowther Castle
spectacular 130-acre wonderland, where dramatic Gothic ruins house a modern parterre, a Sleeping Beauty-inspired rose garden, and a massive woodland adventure playground, all framing majestic Lake District panoramas
Holehird Gardens
volunteer-run, 10-acre fellside haven showcasing stunning alpine houses, a magnificent walled garden, and national plant collections, set above the spectacular Lake Windermere
Rydal Mount
romantic, five-acre hillside haven designed by poet William Wordsworth, featuring winding paths, rare shrubs, and a historic terrace boasting unmatched, inspirational views of Rydal Water
Holker Hall
25-acre horticultural paradise featuring national collections, a labyrinthine wildflower meadow, the gargantuan Great Lime tree, and exquisite formal gardens that seamlessly blend historic grandeur with contemporary design
Levens Hall
boasts the world’s oldest topiary garden, a surreal 1694 masterpiece populated by over 100 giant, whimsically sculpted yew trees, a fragrant herb garden, and a historic bowling green
Beyond the gardens
The scenery is as much the point as the gardens. There are the lakes themselves, the fells and the villages such as Grasmere and Cartmel, and the literary landscape of Wordsworth and Ruskin threaded through the week. Based on the shore of Windermere, there is time to enjoy the lake, the walks and the reflective calm of the Lakes between visits.
My hope is that you come home with more than photographs: ideas for gardening in a cool, moist climate, a renewed love of rhododendrons and blue poppies, and the memory of great gardens set among some of the finest scenery in England.
Previous departures
A few moments from garden tours in Lake District
