Winter garden highlights
There's nothing like a fresh winter walk through a beautiful historic garden. Our castles, halls and stately homes are enchanting in the colder seasons, and now is the perfect time to make the most of rewarding garden walks and sparkling wintry views.
We've selected nine of our favourite gardens for you to visit this festive season. Wrap up and keep warm for a cosy winter adventure outdoors.
Find a gardenA SHORT HISTORY OF CHRISTMAS GREENERY
Decorating our homes with greenery is a Christmas tradition ingrained in our national consciousness. The Christmas tree is, of course, the most well-known, but it is equally hard to imagine Christmas without wreaths, holly and mistletoe. But when and why did such traditions emerge?
In this article we delve into the history of Christmas greenery to try to find the origins of some much loved traditions.
Find out morePodcast: Belsay Awakes
Join head of English Heritage’s gardens and landscape team, John Watkins, and acclaimed landscape designer Dan Pearson, for a combination of history and horticulture as we find out about the planned transformation of the gardens at Belsay Hall in Northumberland.
Discover the history of the gardens, the plans to bring them back to their blooming best, and the wider project to transform the visitor experience at this spectacular site.
Stories
from England's gardens
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Gardens Through Time
Use this timeline to trace the evolution of gardens in England, from medieval monks to Capability Brown and William Morris.
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Weeding Women: Shaping England's Gardens
Until the late 19th century professional gardeners were always men. However, this does not mean that England’s gardens were only shaped by male hands.
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Gardens Conservation
English Heritage looks after many nationally important historic gardens and landscapes. Discover how our experts care for these special outdoor spaces.
HISTORIC GARDEN BLOGS
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HOW CHARLES DARWIN’S GARDEN INSPIRED THE THEORY OF EVOLUTION
From playing music to earthworms to wandering up and down his own ‘thinking path’, Charles Darwin found plenty of inspiration for his theories at Down House in Kent.
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MOUNT GRACE: HOW TO SPOT AN ARTS AND CRAFTS GARDEN
Simplicity of design, use of local materials and traditional craftsmanship were all central principles of the movement we now know as ‘Arts and Crafts’. Discover how this applies to gardens.
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How to garden like a Medieval Monk
Discover how much attention monks paid to their gardens. We take a closer look at the history of Mount Grace Priory and the role gardens played in the daily life of its monks.
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THE HISTORY OF OSBORNE MYRTLE IN ROYAL WEDDINGS
Myrtle, a delicate white flower that grows at Osborne, has been the flower of choice for royal brides since the 1850s. In this blog we investigate the royal tradition and it's popularity at weddings.
How to Make Soup
Watch as Mrs Crocombe, the Victorian cook, shows you how to make a light soup the Victorian way using rhubarb from the kitchen garden at Audley End House. You can discover more of her recipes by visiting our YouTube channel.
Watch on YouTubeMore to explore
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Shop the Rose in Bloom Collection
Inspired by Wiltshire based artist Caroline Day’s “Seize the Moment” oil painting, this range of gifts was created to celebrate the beauty of flowers and is perfect for gardeners, nature lovers and art enthusiasts alike.
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Days out with Dogs
Enjoy a great day out with your dog at an English Heritage property. There are plenty of dog-friendly sites across the whole of England for your furry friends to enjoy.
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Become a Member
Start a year of adventure. An English Heritage membership offers an unlimited annual pass to over 400 historic sites across the country.
