21 beautiful UK gardens to visit, ranked

Blooming lovely

From bewitching botanic gardens to intricately designed formal gardens, the UK is blessed with some truly stunning places in which to appreciate flora. We’ve picked 21 of the best and ranked them according to their beauty, from beautiful to very, very beautiful.

Click through this gallery to see what are, in our opinion, the best-looking gardens in the UK...

21. The Japanese Garden at Cowden, Clackmannanshire, Scotland

After a trip to Japan at the turn of the 20th century, the Scottish adventurer Ella Christie was inspired to create her own Japanese garden in the grounds of Cowden Castle. Christie chose a female designer, Taki Handa, to fulfill her dream, and the stunning seven-acre site became the first and only garden of its size and scale in the UK to be designed by a woman.

20. Prospect Cottage Garden, Dungeness, England

A strip of shingle overlooked by a nuclear power station doesn’t sound like the most inviting environment for a garden, but somehow the late filmmaker Derek Jarman managed to create a gorgeous one outside his fisherman’s cottage on the Kent coast. Tidy beds of wallflowers and poppies are interspersed with found objects and weathered wooden posts in this unique and verdant oasis.

19. Botanic Gardens, Belfast, Northern Ireland

Belfast’s popular Botanic Gardens boast a range of exotic tree species and extensive plant collections from the southern hemisphere. The Palm House – one of the earliest examples of a glasshouse made from curved iron and glass – is an attractive and historic venue in which to view a range of tropical plants, hanging baskets, seasonal displays and bird of paradise flowers.

18. Penrhyn Castle Garden, Bangor, Wales

From the sculpted hedgerows, precise landscaping and symmetrical water features of the Walled Garden to the jungle-like Bog Garden with its enormous gunnera plants, Penrhyn Castle offers an intriguingly eclectic range of garden environments. The simple lawns at the front of the castle with views over Snowdonia are also the perfect spot for a picnic in the warmer months.

17. Blickling Estate, Norfolk, England

The Blickling Estate is a lovely place to wander in all seasons and has multiple areas to explore. Take a stroll up to the 18th-century Temple, surrounded by daffodils in spring, or head over to the Acre to enjoy views over the lake. The formal planting of the Victorian Parterre and relative wildness of the Wilderness offer contrasting but equally enticing aesthetics.

16. Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew, London, England

From viewing flora from across the globe inside the world’s largest Victorian glasshouse to admiring the Japanese Landscape’s springtime cherry blossom, London's Kew Gardens is the perfect place to marvel at the diverse wonders of nature. The dazzling floral displays of the Great Broad Walk Borders and the wispy beauty of the Grass Garden (from late summer onwards) are always crowd pleasers.

15. The Lost Gardens of Heligan, Cornwall, England

A sleeping beauty once overgrown with brambles, the Lost Gardens of Heligan were derelict when they were rediscovered in the 1990s, but they've since been lovingly restored. Treats include the Pleasure Grounds with their celebrated crop of camellias and rhododendrons, and the Sundial Gardens whose herbaceous borders burst with blooms in summer. The UK’s only outdoor jungle is a particularly unique attraction.

14. Chelsea Physic Garden, London, England

Established in 1673 by the Worshipful Society of Apothecaries of London, Chelsea Physic Garden is London’s oldest botanic garden, and contains over 4,000 edible, medicinal and historical plants. A warm microclimate means that many tender plants flourish here, including endangered species. The largest outdoor fruiting olive tree in Britain and the world’s most northerly outdoor grapefruit tree are both on view.

13. Royal Botanic Garden, Edinburgh, Scotland

Set in over 70 acres of stunning landscape just a mile from the city centre, Edinburgh’s botanic garden is a haven of peace and tranquillity. The famous Rock Garden is a must-visit, with other highlights including the rhododendron collection and Scottish native plants collection. Sculptures by the likes of Dame Barbara Hepworth and Andy Goldsworthy are also dotted throughout the gardens. Note that the glasshouses are currently closed for restoration.

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12. Aberglasney Gardens, Llangathen, Wales

Aberglasney has more than 10 acres of magnificent gardens, including a stunning Asiatic Garden perched on a small hill and the charming Rose Garden. But it's the Cloister Garden (pictured) that is Aberglasney's most celebrated feature – it dates back to the 17th century and is bounded on three sides by an arcaded stone walkway, the only surviving structure of its kind in the UK.

11. Rowallane Garden, County Down, Northern Ireland

When the Reverend John Moore and his nephew Hugh created the gardens at Rowallane in the 19th century, they envisioned a place where people could escape their troubles and immerse themselves in the natural world. The mix of formal and informal gardens offering breathtaking views across the County Down landscape allows 21st-century visitors to continue doing just that.

10. Bodnant Garden, Conwy, Wales

Bodnant is blessed with 80 acres of formal gardens and woodland that offer up a feast for the senses all year round. Rhododendrons and azaleas dazzle from March to June, while the Glades erupt in vivid red and amber during the autumn months. A spring highlight is the golden blossoming of the Laburnum Arch (pictured), the only such curved arch in the country.

9. Erddig Hall and Garden, Wrexham, Wales

Erddig’s once-magnificent gardens were overgrown and populated by sheep when head gardener Mike Snowden set about restoring them in the 1970s. Thanks to his painstaking work the 18th-century walled garden and Victorian parterre were returned fully to their former glory. Today rare fruit trees, thriving herbaceous borders and a nationally important collection of ivies can be appreciated at this Grade I-listed garden.

8. Munstead Wood Garden, Surrey, England

The legendary garden designer Gertude Jekyll hired renowned architect Edwin Lutyens to build her house at Munstead Wood, resulting in a sublime fusion of architectural and horticultural design. A trained artist, Jekyll applied colour theory to her seasonal planting schemes creating vibrant floral pictures that burst into life throughout the year, from primroses in spring to the late-autumn daisy border. The garden was bought by the National Trust in 2023 but is temporarily closed for renovations.

7. Bangor Castle Walled Garden, County Down, Northern Ireland

Created by the Ward family in the 1840s, Bangor Castle’s lovely walled garden remained a mystery to most until it was restored and opened to the public in 2009. Divided into a flower garden, herb and topiary garden, kitchen garden and swamp garden, the 1.5-acre site also contains a specially commissioned fountain and sculpture, both inspired by the region’s maritime history.

6. Studley Royal Water Garden, North Yorkshire, England

A cultivated water garden of mirrored ponds, statues and ornamentation, incorporating the fairytale ruins of Fountains Abbey, Studley Royal is one of the few great 18th-century gardens to have survived in more or less its original form. The 'Surprise View' or 'Anne Boleyn’s Seat' where visitors glimpse the ruined abbey through the trees is just as breathtaking now as it was 200 years ago.

5. Attadale Gardens, Scottish Highlands, Scotland

Located in Scotland's highland heart, Attadale Gardens are set against the beautiful backdrop of Loch Carron. Their many delights include tranquil water gardens, a sunken fern garden and a stunning Japanese Garden. Ancient paths wind through woodland and rhododendrons past waterfalls and planted ponds, while sculptures dotted throughout the grounds add to the pleasingly eclectic feel.

4. Hidcote, Gloucestershire, England

This world-renowned Arts and Crafts-inspired garden was created by Major Lawrence Johnston between 1907 and 1938. Johnston filled his flowerbeds with exotic plants and newly discovered species gathered during plant-collecting expeditions around the world. The 10.5-acre site features a mixture of intimate 'garden rooms' and more natural areas that complement the surrounding landscape.

3. Mount Stewart, County Down, Northern Ireland

From spectacular tulip displays in April to the glorious Rhododendron Wood that breaks out in a blaze of colour through May and June, the celebrated gardens at Mount Stewart offer a feast for the eyes. The Shamrock Garden, whose hedges have creatures from Irish mythology cut into them, and the blue and green hued Spanish Garden are among its many other charms.

2. Powis Castle Garden, Powys, Wales

Powis Castle’s magnificent gardens date back to the 1680s, when a series of terraces and grass slopes were created on a ridge below the castle. A picturesque formal garden was added in the early 20th century by the Countess of Powis, who wanted to make the gardens famous for their beauty across the land. The country-cottage-style flower borders and perfectly maintained fruit trees remain a highlight.

1. Sissinghurst Castle Garden, Kent, England

For sheer beauty and diversity, the gardens at Sissinghurst Castle have landed our top spot. Envisioned by the writer Vita Sackville-West and her husband Harold Nicholson as a series of 'garden rooms', each vividly planted space has its own uniquely lovely aesthetic. The vibrant Purple Border and the sublime simplicity of the famed White Garden are among the many highlights.

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