Budget-friendly holiday adventures

Visiting a National Garden Scheme garden isn’t just for adults – there’s plenty of fun (and homemade cake) to be had during the school and summer holidays at our gardens for children too. And, with children going free at the majority of our gardens, a day out at a National Garden Scheme garden is great way to have a budget-friendly break from digital devices, reconnect with nature and support great causes!

Explore our family-friendly Easter gardens click here

Skool Beanz Children’s Allotment, Somerset BA22 8RB

Skool Beanz is a children’s gardening club run from their very own award winning No-Dig children’s allotment which has a huge dahlia bed, vegetable area, fruit trees, rainwater collecting station, ‘Muddy Buddy’ compost heap, quiet wildlife garden with tiny pond, secret den, polytunnel, upcycled sculptures and plenty of seating.

Opens Saturday 19 April and Saturday 6 September, for details click here

Poulton Hall, Cheshire CH63 9LN

A quirky garden which children love. Three acres, lawns fronting house, wildflower meadow. Surprise approach to walled garden, with reminders of Roger Lancelyn Green’s retellings, Excalibur, Robin Hood and Jabberwock. Memorial sculpture for Richard Lancelyn Green by Sue Sharples. Rose, nursery rhyme, witch, herb and oriental gardens and Memories Reading room. And restored Excalibur garden to explore.

Opens Saturday 19 and Sunday 20 April, for details click here

The Hidden Garden, Ceredigion

A large, serene woodland garden with extensive plantings to complement the existing natural trees and shrubs. Numerous paths lead to a small lake with many ducks in residence, the ‘hobbit house’ and adjoining large stumpery, and the acer grove. Hydrangeas and hellebores are widespread with masses of spring bulbs. Great care has been taken to give year-round interest.

Open Sunday 27 April, for details click here 

Whitlenge Gardens, Worcestershire DY10 4YD

Three acre show garden of professional garden designer includes a large variety of trees and shrubs. Features include a twisted brick pillar pergola, 2½ metre diameter solid oak moongate set into reclaimed brickwork, and a four turreted, mini moated castle folly with vertical wall planter set between two water falls, then walk through giant gunnera leaves into the Fairy Garden.

Opens Saturday 26 and Sunday 27 April, 28 and 29 June and 23 and 24 August for details click here

Explore all our family-friendly gardens opening in 2025 by clicking here

A summer selection of gardens to explore

The Grange, Carla Beck Lane, Carleton in Craven, Skipton, Yorkshire BD23 3BU

There are over four acres of wonderfully varied garden set in the grounds of a Victorian house to explore at The Grange. With mature trees and panoramic views towards The Gateway to the Dales this lovely garden has been restored and expanded by the owners over the past 30 years. Bountiful herbaceous borders with many unusual species, rose walk, parterre, mini-meadows and water features make it a great garden to spend time in.

Opens Wednesday 16 July and Wednesday 6 August – children free. Home made teas.
Click here for full details

Welsh Lavender, Cefnperfedd Uchaf, Maesmynis, Builth Wells, Powys LD2 3HU

A wonderful learning experience in fabulous location! Walk in the lavender fields, learn how the distillation process works, and visit the farm shop to try body creams and balms made with lavender oil distilled on the farm. The farm is a bumblebee haven with its wildflower area, orchards and a vegetable garden. Enjoy coffee, tea and light refreshments.

Opens every day Saturday 26 July to Friday 1 August – pre-booking essential – children free.
Click here for full details

Danesfield House, Henley Road, Marlow, Buckinghamshire SL7 2EY

Enjoy a magical experience in the 65 acres of parkland and gardens at Danesfield House. The gardens were completed in 1901 by Robert Hudson, the Sunlight Soap magnate who built the house. Since the house opened as a hotel in 1991, the gardens have been admired by several thousand guests each year. However, in 2009 it was discovered that the gardens contained outstanding examples of pulhamite in both the formal gardens and the waterfall areas. The 100-year-old topiary is also outstanding. Part of the grounds also include an Iron Age fort!

Opens Wednesday 6 August. Pre-booking essential, children go free. For more details click here 

Barnards Farm, Brentwood Road, West Horndon, Essex, CM13 3FY

There’s so much to explore! Climb the Belvedere for the wider view and take the miniature railway train for a woodland adventure. There are summer beds and borders, ponds, lakes and streams, and a walled vegetable plot. There’s also a ‘Japanese garden’, plus sculptures grand and quirky that enhance and delight.

Opens every Thursday in June, July and August as well as Sunday 29 June and Sunday 7 September – children free.
Click here for full details

This is just a tiny taster of our gardens open in July and August to explore all our family-friendly gardens
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Read Victoria’s story about finding out about children going free at National Garden Scheme gardens CLICK HERE