Holehird Gardens
Holehird Gardens
If you prefer flowers to fells and are an avid member of the green-fingered club, then you may wish to consider visiting Holehird Gardens.
Maintained solely by a team of volunteers from the Lakeland Horticultural Society these gardens offer 17-acres of beautifully designed spaces that provide a peaceful and inspiring place to take a stroll.
Planning Your Visit
History
The gardens are part of Holehird Estate that was built in the mid-19th century with the original gardens designed by esteemed landscape architect Thomas Mawson, who also designed gardens for the Hague and Rydal Hall in Cumbria.
In the first half of the 20th century, the gardens were simply too costly to maintain so were mostly abandoned. In 1945, the estate was donated to the town of Windermere by the owners, the Groves family. The house is currently being used as a nursing home and is not open to the public.
In 1969, a group of volunteers formed the Lakeland Horticultural Society with a view to restoring the gardens. Their continuing efforts can be admired and appreciated today.
Things To See
The gardens are home to four collections of plants that are of national importance: Astilbe, Meconopsis, Daboecia, and Polystichum. Visitors can view rare and common plants throughout the gardens, including a collection of alpine plants from around the world house in a special building. There is a delightful walled garden, a fabulous Hydrangea collection, rockeries, and streams to explore.
The society holds regular events and talks throughout the year in the gardens, as well as one-day horticultural courses. Guided walks are available during peak season on Wednesday mornings.
Useful Information
There are very few facilities at the site, however, there are toilets and a hot drinks vending machine. Most of the gardens are accessible via wheelchair, though users may find the terrain difficult in places.