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Britain's top 10 gardens to visit with your family
The Chelsea Flower Show opens tomorrow, but if you don't have tickets there are plenty more gardens to visit around the country at this flourishing time of year. Here, BBC Gardeners' World Magazine recommends the best family-friendly options
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Your support makes all the difference.Eden Project, Cornwall
This world famous global garden combines plant-filled biomes with extensive outdoor planting. Inside the enormous domed biomes, families are transported into a tropical rainforest or find they are strolling among vibrant Mediterranean meadows. There is a wealth of attractions here for families, with the Rainforest Canopy Walk taking you above the treetops, a children’s discovery trail, an outdoor climbing frame nest and "sense of play garden" for younger children. Look out for the dinosaurs that will be hiding among the trees in late summer and let imaginations run wild at this fantastic and inspiring site.
Bodelva, St Austell, Cornwall, PL24 2SG
Adults £25, children (five-16) £14. Open all year, daily (except selected Mon/Tue in Jan/early Feb) – see edenproject.com for details, up-to-date opening times and prices.
Warwick Castle, Warwickshire
This magnificent medieval castle has extensive grounds and gardens, creating a memorable day out for any family. The formal gardens contain beautiful topiary hedges in the form of giant peacocks with the castle towering above, inviting families to transport themselves into the past by exploring battlements, towers and turrets while marveling at the birds of prey displaying overhead. The 300th anniversary of the eminent landscape gardener Capability Brown is also being celebrated here this year with daily-guided tours of the grounds. Children’s activities run throughout the day; you won’t want to leave.
Warwick, Castle Lane, Warwickshire, CV34 4QU
Adults £25.20, children (four-11) £22.20. Open all year, daily, 10am-5pm. warwick-castle.com
Ralph Court Gardens, Herefordshire
In the grounds of a gothic rectory, families will find 12 themed gardens at Ralph Court. Incorporating mythology, fairy tale and culture, these gardens aim to transport visitors around the globe and into a fantasy world. At every turn there are surprises, with more than 20 water features creating sound and movement in the garden; walk behind cascading water and discover the pirate galleon and visit familiar characters at the Mad Hatter’s Tea Party. This inventive garden with its striking planting is a magical wonderland for children and adults alike.
Edwyn Ralph, Bromyard, Herefordshire, HR7 4LU
Adults £7.50, children (three-16) £5. Open 1 March - 31 October, daily, 10am-5pm. ralphcourtgardens.co.uk
The Alnwick Garden, Northumberland
This truly exciting contemporary garden pushes boundaries at every opportunity and couldn’t fail to inspire the imaginations of visiting families. There are wonderful water features throughout including pools, fountains and the magnificent Grand Cascade, the largest water feature of its kind in the country. The very unusual Poison Garden featuring a collection of deadly plants, locked behind bars enthralls visitors; and children will delight in discovering new heights from magical tree top walks, perhaps spotting red squirrels jumping through the trees in the woodland.
Denwick Lane, Alnwick, Northumberland, NE66 1YU
Adults £12.10, children (five-16) £4.40. Open daily: 24 March - 30 October, 10am-6pm and 31 November - 31 December, 10am-4pm. alnwickgarden.com
Sir Harold Hillier Gardens, Hampshire
Packed with more than 42,000 plants arranged in different landscapes, these spectacular gardens and offer interest throughout the year. They feature a 250m long summer border, one of the longest double borders in the UK. The gardens are a wonderful environment for families to explore and enjoy together, with play features including a tree house, flying snake swing, bamboo tunnels, board walks and giant musical bamboo wind chimes. Children can discover wildlife in small ponds in the Educational Garden and for the more adventurous, there are geocaching treasure hunt games using GPS enabled devices.
Jermyns Lane, Ampfield, Romsey, Hampshire
Adults £9.90, children (five-16) £2.20. Open all year, daily, 10am-6pm (until 5pm 1 November - 31 March). hilliergardens.org.uk
Trebah Garden, Cornwall
Wander in this sprawling subtropical paradise, where families can wind their way through the Bamboozle, a bamboo maze of gigantic proportions and marvel at the larger than life gunnera leaves, creating canopies overhead. Beautiful pastel shades of hydrangea flowers lead you down the valley to the picturesque private shingle beach, perfect for paddling on a sunny day. Find adventure play areas for a range of different ages; from Tarzans Camp and Fort Stuart to the Paraglide zip wire. Let your children’s imaginations run wild at this magical garden with prizes to be won on adventure trails.
Mawnan Smith, Falmouth, Cornwall
Adults £9, children (five-15) £3. Open all year, daily, 10am-5.30pm (or dusk if earlier). trebahgarden.co.uk
Staunton Farm, Gardens & Country Park, Hampshire
With so much to explore at this vast site you won’t run out of things to do. Wander in the restored Victorian walled garden awash with vibrant flowers, venture into the Victorian glasshouse and see tropical fish and exotic plants, including palms, bananas and a giant Amazon waterlily. Behind the glasshouse, discover the Golden Jubilee Maze; experience a world of adventure with its twists and turns and locked gates. Children can let off steam in the large parkland then visit and feed the friendly animals in the farm. Should the weather let you down, this garden will not, with a children’s play barn located at the farm with plenty of seating for parents.
Middle Park Way, Havant, Hampshire
Adults £7.95, children: (three-16) £3.95. Open all year, daily, 10am-5pm (4pm November-March). hants.gov.uk
Arley Arboretum & Gardens, Worcestershire
A family day out needn’t be expensive and here you get fantastic value for money. Prizes can be won exploring the family trails such as the dinosaur or woodland trails. Children may recognise the rhododendron names, with the collection featuring Grumpy, Sneezy and Bashful. Exciting play areas for children of all ages can found along a 40m trail and if they are still full of energy, they can dare the hornbeam maze or see what beasties are lurking in the water with some pond dipping. Or simply enjoy the beautiful Italian Garden, herbaceous borders and panoramic views with the Severn Railway steam trains puffing away in the distance.
Lion Lane, Upper Arley, Nr Bewdley, Worcestershire
Adults £5, children (three-16) £2. Open 13 February - 18 December, Wednesday-Sunday and bank holidays, 11am-5pm. arleyarboretum.co.uk
Ightham Mote, Kent
Children will love exploring this medieval moated manor house and its extensive gardens and grounds. A "50 things to do before you are 11 ¾" activity sheet and children’s map of the grounds is a great, interactive way for children to discover these pretty Victorian pleasure grounds, with activities such as building stream dams, with free downloadable packs available. A natural play area and discovery den provide great fun throughout the year (make sure you’ve packed your wellington boots); or follow trails around the estate and spot some of the exciting wildlife.
Mote Road, Ivy Hatch, Sevenoaks, Kent
Adults £12.50, children (five-16) £6.30. Open all year, daily, from 10am – closing times vary, see nationaltrust.org.uk
Picton Castle & Garden, Pembrokeshire
These glorious 40-acre gardens surround the castle and are a wonderful place to spend the day with your family, with perfect spots to enjoy a sunny picnic. There is certainly plenty to keep children entertained; with the gardens featuring one of the largest jungle gardens in the UK, children will be fascinated by the magical exotic plants. There are trails to follow, with fairy doors hiding amongst the trees with lucky winners receiving prizes at the end. There are tadpole filled ponds to peer in, a bamboo maze to wind through and an adventure playground to burn off energy.
The Rhos, Nr Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire
Adults £7, children (five-16) £4. Open 19 March - 31 October, daily, 10am-5pm. pictoncastle.co.uk
The May issue of BBC Gardeners’ World Magazine, on sale now price £4.50, includes its annual 2-for-1 Entry Gardens to Visit Card & Guide offering discounted entry to 405 gardens across the UK and Ireland. For more information visit gardenersworld.com
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