Gardens to visit The National Garden Scheme
Reasons to Visit National Garden Scheme Gardens
What I find most wonderful about gardens in the National Garden Scheme is the sheer variety of gardens on offer. It's fascinating to see all the different types of gardens: grand gardens with herbaceous borders, town gardens, allotment gardens, cottage gardens, snowdrop gardens, tulip gardens, and wildlife gardens. There are even gardens that first opened up in 1927 for the NGS, and are still opening today.
The sheer range of gardens offers visitors so much to see and lots of inspiration for their gardens. I love visiting NGS gardens. I'm always amazed by the presentation of these gardens, their themes, and marvellous planting. I go there to steal ideas, to see planting combinations, and because many of these gardens are average-sized, the planting ideas will easily transfer home.
I can draw inspiration, devise gardening plans, enjoy some great tea and cake, and have garden chat with other visitors and owners.
Charitable giving by the National Garden Scheme
Charity Matters
The National Garden Scheme is not just about opening lovely gardens. It's about raising money for good causes, which is the main reason I volunteer.
This year 2025 the National Garden Scheme has raised £3,875,596 donated to charities including: Macmillan Cancer Support, Marie Curie, Hospice UK, Carers Trust, The Queen's Institute of Community Nursing, Parkinson's UK and more. Last year, it donated £3,501,227 to charities.
You can find an open garden near you using this link https://ngs.org.uk/. You can search by garden type and country and find more about beneficiary charities and how to volunteer.
Below are some images I have taken of National Garden Scheme gardens, which I hope will inspire you to visit. The entrance fees are modest (children usually go in for free), and all these images are of Leicestershire gardens, in which I volunteer. There are over 3300 gardens open all around the country from February to October.
Westbrooke house
A large garden with beautiful spring tulip planting. The tulip colours regularly vary with some new ideas each year.
Goadby Marwood Hall
A large garden of over 10 acres, with lovely lakes and woodland walks. There are 5 lakes in total plus some beautiful mature Ceanothus.
Neville Holt Garden
Neville Holt Hall hosts a festival each year of world class performers and musicians. It also has 10 acres of stunning gardens which they open under the NGS sheme each year.
Stoke Albany
A garden with all year round interest. Illustrated is the fabulous combination of white birch, blossom and spring bulbs. Later in the year, the herbaceous borders. This year, 2025 the owners celebrated opening their gardens for 40 years for the NGS.
oak Tree House
2/3 acre of beautiful country garden with a formal design softened by cottage style planting. Lots of clematis and rose plus over 300 containers filling the garden with colour.
NGS Garden 221 Markfield Road
A large town garden with mixed planting. It's like stepping into a Tardis. The garden looks small from the roadside but has lots of space, plant and vegetables growing leading down to a brook.
Brickfield House
A steep garden in parts with lots of natural planting and stunning views over the countryside. A 2 acre plot developed from an old brickworks, there is kitchen garden, herbaceous borders and views over the Welland valley.
Tudor House
A one acre family garden featuring woodlands lawns, a greenhouse, pond and more. Plus, what a great use of a pallet! this was definitely an idea I took home with me along with ideas around planting a Tree Peony.