Coastal Gardens to explore in 2026

With their often fabulous views and windy, climatic challenges, coastal gardens provide a particularly enticing destination for the garden visitor. From Cornwall to Northern Ireland the National Garden Scheme has a collection of inspiring coastal gardens to visit in 2026.

New in 2026 is Wyalm House in Torquay, Devon an Italianate Villa, built in 1861, with two acres of semi-formal decorative gardens with commanding magnificent views over Torbay. Opens 23 and 24 May.

Also in Devon, visit the delightful Mothecombe Garden near Plymouth, with it’s camellia walk and blue bell wood, bee garden with 250 lavenders and six acre wildflower pasture it’s a dream of a place with a sandy beach at the bottom of the garden. Opens 14 June.

At the most southerly tip of Cornwall the charming Chygurno is a delightful creek side garden overlooking Lamorna Cove that opens in April and July.

Tremichele on The Lizard in Cornwall is a 1 acre coastal garden overlooking the Atlantic and the Lizard Lighthouse with a productive kitchen garden, raised beds and fruit trees. It open By Arrangement only from April to July for groups up to 15.

Also in Cornwall, Malibu in Polzeath Cornwall  is just yards away from the Coast Path, with stunning views over the beach and headland. There’s a sheltered compact garden to the rear and a general interest front garden with an interesting mix of features, different rockeries and a strong focus on succulents, ferns and herbaceous plants. A greenhouse with many plants make this a rounded garden experience.

In Anglesey The Old School, is a garden created from ‘brambly wilderness’ with views over the Menai Strait opens only By Arrangement from March to June for groups of 15+.

And the wonderful show stopping garden at East Cliff, designed by Arabella Lennox Boyd opens on the Isle of Wight on 6 June.

Lepe House with it’s 14 acres looking over the Solent in Hampshire also opens in 2026 for by arrangement visits.

There are some great value group gardens on the coast too including: Tenby Gardens in Pembrokeshire which open on 13 and 14 June.

Visitor favourite, the award-winning Driftwood in East Sussex also opens By Arrangement in 2026.

New this year: Fernleas, Folkestone is a seaside garden with views out to France and Dungeness. The garden comprises a patio, gravel garden with coastal planting, a lawn with perennial borders, roses and a lavender lined path leading to a wildflower bank and a terraced kitchen garden. To the rear of the house is woodland rising up the hillside towards the Leas.

You can visit on Saturday 20 June – CLICK HERE for details

Coastal Group Gardens

Group gardens are wonderful value for money and we have an arcade of delights opening for the National Garden Scheme in 2026.

KENT

Pegwell & West Cliff Gardens, Ramsgate are three distinctly different gardens all found on the west side of Ramsgate town. These coastal properties enjoy the microclimate allowing echiums, bougainvillea, oleander, canna, succulents and aeoniums to thrive throughout the entire year. 31 has houseplants which connect the house to the garden plus a unique water feature and over 200 pots.

Priory Villa has over 150 roses, a stunning greenhouse and interesting sculptures. Victoria Lodge has lots of history, beautiful seating areas and Koi Carp. All three gardens have tree ferns. They open on
5 July.

Also in the town, Ramsgate Gardens offer three beautiful and varied gardens and open on 6 September.

For the biggest haul of gardens opening together, Whitstable is the plaice to be! In fact so many gardens open in the town that they have been split over two different groups and dates. Whitstable Town Gardens on 7 June offer an eclectic mix of gardens by the sea.

Not strictly coastal but just tucked away from the sea behind Ham Marshes is the equally enchanting Faversham Open Gardens and Garden Market Day – a community-led event showcasing over 25 small and larger town gardens – opening on Sunday 28 June. It’s a wonderful atmosphere with so much to see and to be inspired by!

A stones throw away Tankerton Gardens open on 24 May. This group of diverse gardens includes an artists gravel garden, plantswoman’s garden, flowers for cutting, kitchen garden and chickens. Beautifully thought through with plenty of innovative and some, cost saving, ideas to inspire you.

Around the Kent coast you’ll come to Deal Town Gardens, four gardens that include a tropical themed walled garden and a vibrant cottage garden, they open on 28 June.

EAST SUSSEX

In East Sussex visit fourteen beautiful gardens across Seaford on four dates including 101 Clementine Avenue which enjoys Downland and sea views with cottage, coastal and drought tolerant planting. Discover more about the Seaford Gardens here.

PEMBROKESHIRE

New for 2026 are the six town gardens opening for Tenby Gardens in Pembrokeshire on 13 and 14 June. They showcase a variety of styles from a jungly urban town garden providing a green oasis of wildlife friendly plants and shrubs (many for sale along with preserves!) to an edge of town garden with colour-themed borders, greenhouse, patio and pots.