Make Mother’s Day special with a gorgeous garden visit and home-made tea

Lead image Stubbings House, Berkshire

Mother’s Day is the traditional time to give mums a day off from doing the multitude of daily jobs they’re usually tasked with. And what better way to say thank you than to treat her to a wonderful garden visit with a delicious cup of tea and a slice of cake! It makes a change from the traditional flowers and chocolates and gives you all a chance to create a special memory.

There are a host of lovely gardens opening over the Mother’s Day weekend this 14 -15 March – see a taster below. Or why not make it extra special by exploring our By Arrangement options and booking an exclusive visit for your mum that she can enjoy with family and friends.

For gardens opening on the Mother’s Day weekend see our taster selection below or for the full list click here

Bere Mill, Hampshire is on an isolated stretch of the upper River Test, gardens have been built incrementally over 30 years with bulbs, herbaceous and Mediterranean borders, magnolia, irises, and tree peonies, along with summer and autumn borders. There’s a traditional orchard and two small arboretums, one specialising in Japanese planting. The garden stretches into the landscape and forms part of a renaturing project.

Opens on Sunday 15 March and dates in May, July and August click here for details

Bury Court Farmhouse, Herefordshire has been planted for year round colour. This ¾ acre garden surrounds an 1820s stone farmhouse (not open). The courtyard contains a pond, mixed borders, fruit trees and shrubs, with steps up to a terrace which leads to lawn and vegetable plot. The main garden (semi-walled) is on two levels with mixed borders, greenhouse, pond, mini-orchard, many spring flowers, and wildlife areas.

Opens on Sunday 15 March click here for details

Coddington Vineyard in Herefordshire is five acres including a two acre vineyard, listed farmhouse, and cider mill. The garden has terraces, woodland with massed spring bulbs, a large pond with stream garden, masses of primula and Hellebores and snowdrops, Hamamelis and Parottia.  Home-made teas and apple juice available!

Opens Sunday 15 March and dates in April, May and July click here for details

Corsham Court, Wiltshire has park and gardens laid out by Capability Brown and Repton. Large lawns with fine specimens of ornamental trees surround the Elizabethan mansion. There’s a C18 bath house hidden in the grounds. Spring bulbs, beautiful lily pond with Indian bean trees, young arboretum and stunning collection of magnolias.

Opens Sunday 15 and 29  March click here for details

Doddington Place in Kent, explore this wonderful 10 acre garden, with wide views, trees and cloud clipped yew hedges. There’s a woodland garden with azaleas and rhododendrons, an Edwardian rock garden and formal garden with mixed borders.  There’s also a flint and brick late C20 gothic folly; a disused pinnacle from the southeast tower of Rochester Cathedral at the end of the Wellington Walk and a Wobbly Tower recently installed above the sunk garden.

Enjoy it all when it opens on Sunday 15 March click here for details

Little Court, Hampshire is a delightful 3 acre plantswoman’s sheltered naturalistic garden for all seasons, especially memorable in spring. It is mature and exuberant with contrasting areas, including a traditional walled kitchen garden and free-range bantams. The garden appeals to all ages. It is a favourite with photographers, having appeared in many magazines and books; it was featured in the RHS The Garden magazine and Country Life among others.

Opens Sunday 15 March (with other days throughout the year) click here for details

Stubbings House, Berkshire is a parkland garden accessed via the adjacent retail plant centre. Set around an C18 Grade II listed house (not open), which was home to Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands during WW2. There’s a large lawn with a ha-ha, woodland walks, and notable trees including historic cedars and araucaria. March brings an abundance of daffodils and in May a 60 metre wall of wisteria.

Open Saturday 14 and Sunday 15 March and Saturday 9 and Sunday 10 May click here for details

The Old Vicarage, Daventry, Northamptonshire was once the centre of village life. Fifty years on, garden life is different with unexpected trees, bulbs, shrubs, perennials bursting out year-round with birdlife, wildlife and life in general. A warm welcome awaits both at the winter opening and in March.

Opens Sunday 22 February and Sunday 15 March click here for details

Trench Hill, Gloucestershire is a gorgeous garden of 3 acres set in a small woodland with panoramic views. Variety of herbaceous and mixed borders, rose garden, tulips, extensive vegetable plots, wildflower areas, plantings of spring bulbs with thousands of snowdrops and hellebores, woodland walk, two small ponds, waterfall and larger conservation pond are all cultivated using organic principles.

Opens on dates in February, Sunday 15 March and dates through to August click here for details

Wellcome Genome Campus in Essex contains many historic features including an C18 Hall, a former fishing lodge, pleasure garden and croquet lawn. Many references to fish reflect its former name, Trout Hall. The orchard is a Priority One habitat, important to biodiversity. Flanking the conference centre are a meadow and fine oak specimens, and in the main lake south of the orchard are carp, reflecting the history of the Hall.

Opens on Saturday 14 March, pre-booking essential, click here for details

Woolscott Barn, Rugby, Warwickshire is a plantsman’s garden set in 1½ acres a great variety of plants. Large areas of shade plantings. Over 300 different snowdrops, Anemone nemorosa, Erythroniums, ferns and geraniums. A dwarf conifer rockery with a range of choice bulbs and herbaceous borders. Vegetable beds. Autumn brings mass plantings of Cyclamen to the party. There is a large area dedicated to propagation of more unusual plants.

Opens on 11 and 18 February, Sunday 15 March and 5 & 6 April, pre-booking essential, click here for details

For all gardens opening on the Mother’s Day weekend click here

For more on By Arrangement visits for the Mother’s Day weekend click here