Beningbrough Hall & Gardens, York
Owned by the National Trust, Beningbrough Hall in North Yorkshire is described as a ‘place of reinvention’. This Georgian mansion is presently closed for renovation but its ever-evolving gardens can still be enjoyed in all of their springtime glory. In May, visitors can see blossoming fruit trees and borders that abound with spring bulbs, including a colourful tulip display in the West Formal Garden. Art is a big part of Beningbrough. The hall houses a gallery and you’ll often find contemporary installations dotted around the gardens here. There’s also a Victorian conservatory, summer house and fish pond to see, along with many well-established trees, some of which are over 100 years old. Beningbrough Gardens are a great place to get involved in the National Trust’s #blossomwatch. On the 2nd May, you can also attend a free talk with the award-winning landscape designer Andy Sturgeon. In this informal, 30-minute session, Andy will speak about conservation and archeology, explaining how these help to shape the garden’s design and future development.

Accessibility: Beningbrough’s gardens are relatively level, making them suitable for wheelchair users. A map showing the most accessible routes is available and wheelchairs and mobility scooters can be hired. The gardens also have accessible toilets. Dogs are allowed in the grounds but not in the walled garden.

Opening times: Open every day from 10am-5pm in May, except for 15th and 22nd
Entry Prices: from £12 (adult), from £6 (child)

Scampston Walled Garden, Malton
Located 6.5 miles to the east of Malton, this award-winning walled garden can be found in the grounds of Scampston Hall – a regency country house that’s still a family home. The garden opened to the public in 2005 and was designed by the celebrated Dutch plantsman Piet Oudolf. Oudolf’s skill and creativity are evident here – his design is all about contrast and brings together modern and more traditional areas to create a garden that perfectly complements the surrounding parkland. Structure is provided by using ‘serpentine forms of yew, cubes of box and adventurous topiary’ to form individual spaces that have their own distinct character. These include a Perennial Meadow, Summer Box Garden, Silent Garden, Cut Flower Garden and Katsura Grove, along with romantic drifts of grass and a vegetable patch. Thanks to Oudolf’s imaginative planting, Scampston Walled Garden looks stunning in all seasons. One of the best spots from which to take it in can be found at the top of mount – a grassy, pyramid-like structure that acts as a viewing platform. For those who would like a bite to eat during their visit, the licensed Garden Cafe here serves afternoon teas and light lunches, which are made with locally-sourced produce. Scampston also has its own well-stocked plant shop.

Accessibility: Scampston Walled Garden’s flat terrain can easily be navigated by those using wheelchairs and mobility scooters. The Garden Cafe can also accommodate wheelchairs and has accessible toilets. Only assistance dogs are allowed in the garden.

Opening times: Wednesday-Sunday and Bank Holiday Mondays, 10am-5pm (April to October)
Entry prices: £9.50 (adult), £5.50 (5-16 years), under 5s free

Thorp Perrow, Bedale
Situated on the edge of the Yorkshire Dales, this 100-acre arboretum offers lots of outdoor fun for the whole family. As spring comes into full force, visitors can watch a glorious floral carpet bloom beneath the trees and can walk among snowdrops, crocuses, unusual varieties of daffodils and swathes of vibrant bluebells. Thorp Perrow is one of the UK’s most important arboretums and is home to some of its rarest shrubs and trees, including 51 registered ‘champion trees’. A range of interesting workshops and trails are planned here each year to coincide with the changing seasons. On the 10th of May, visitors can take a Spring Blossom Tour with curator Faith Douglas. This includes a ‘walk and talk’, followed by a delicious afternoon tea with champagne, which is served in the Summerhouse. You’ll also be given your own spring flower posy to take home with you. The arboretum has a large adventure playground and children will also enjoy meeting the residents of the Birds of Prey Centre, which houses nearly 100 birds from around the world and holds regular flying displays. Picnics can be eaten in Thorp Perrow’s grounds, or food can be purchased from its tearoom, which serves a menu of seasonal lunches, light bites and sweet treats, as well as hot, cold and alcoholic drinks. The arboretum also has a shop selling a carefully-curated range of gifts and accessories for the home and garden.

Accessibility: There is a wheelchair-friendly route around the arboretum and the car park, ticket desk, entrance area and tearoom are all on the same level with automatic doors. There are also accessible toilets and mobility scooter hire is available. Dogs are allowed in the arboretum if kept on a lead but can’t enter the tearoom.

Opening times: 10am-5pm every day
Entry prices: £13.95 (adult), £12.95 (concession), £9.20 (4-16 years), under 4s free

Studley Royal Water Gardens, Ripon
Now a UNESCO World Heritage site, Studley Royal Water Gardens are a magnificent display of Georgian taste and extravagance. The gardens were created by John Aislabie, who inherited the Studley Royal estate in 1693. John wanted to impress his visitors and, with the help of his son William, set about creating a grand garden influenced by the work of the great French landscape gardeners. Studley Royal Water Gardens lie on the banks of the River Skell and feature lush green lawns, interrupted by waterways with cascades, ponds and bridges. You’ll also find ornaments and curious architectural follies hidden in the woodland here, including the neoclassical Temple of Piety. In 1767, William Aislabie purchased the ruins of the Cistercian monastery of Fountains Abbey and this was incorporated into Studley’s gardens. One of the best spots from which to witness them is the ‘surprise view’ – a scenic vista from which the ancient abbey can be seen framed by trees. Outside of the gardens is a park that’s now home to three different species of deer– red, sika and fallow. Visitors to Studley can also explore the ruins of the abbey itself, and the woodland around it with their winding paths and tunnels. Studley Royal Water Gardens is now owned by the National Trust and has a gift shop, plant centre and a restaurant, as well an outdoor play area for little ones.

Accessibility: Studley Royal has an accessible car park, which can be found near to its West Gate entrance. An accessible route can be followed around the gardens, but there are still some gentle slopes and cobbles to navigate. Wheelchairs and powered mobility vehicles can be hired and there are accessible toilets on site. Dogs are allowed in the gardens but they can’t be taken into the tearoom or play area.

Opening times: 10am-4:30 pm daily
Entry prices: from £18 (adult), from £9 (child)

Helmsley Walled Garden, Helmsley
Helmsley Walled Garden isn’t just a beautiful place to relax and explore nature, it’s also a thriving social enterprise. Set beneath the imposing ruins of Helmsley Castle, this 5-acre garden once provided flowers, vegetables and fruit to the nearby Duncombe Park. When it was later abandoned and fell into disrepair, local nurse Alison Ticehurst was inspired to bring it back to life for the people of Helmsley. Nowadays, the garden is run by an independent charity and is maintained by a group of volunteers, including some with difficulties or disabilities who are able to gain new skills and self-confidence here in a safe environment. Helmsley Walled Garden was restored to a design based around the paths that were laid here in the 18th century. The garden has a practical feel and still serves its original purpose of providing food for the local community. Here, you’ll find the Yorkshire Apple Collection and a Kitchen Garden that boasts a bountiful vegetable patch and has its own chickens and a new pond to attract wildlife. Among the garden’s more formal areas are the tranquil White Garden and Garden of Contemplation. Throughout the spring and summer, visitors to the garden can also admire its many lively borders, which are planted with irises and cut flowers. The garden’s glasshouse is now the Vine House Cafe where you can tuck into food made with ingredients grown on site. Alternatively, those who want to bring their own picnic to eat outside are welcome to do so. The garden also has two shops selling unique gifts and a range of plants.

Accessibility: Helmsley Walled Garden is all on one level, meaning it can be enjoyed by everyone. Dedicated parking spaces for blue badge holders can be found close to the garden’s entrance and there’s a unisex accessible toilet that’s always open. Dogs are welcome in all parts of the garden if kept on a lead.

Opening times: Wednesday-Sunday, 10am-4pm (April to October)
Entry prices: £9 (adult), under 16s free

Parcevall Hall Gardens, Skipton
Nestled in a peaceful valley in the Yorkshire Dales, the gardens of Parcevall Hall are set in 24 acres of leafy woodland and parkland that extend up the hillside. Described as a true ‘plantsman’s garden’, Parcevall’s gardens are the work of Sir William Milner, who was the 8th Baronet of Nun Appleton. Milner moved to Parcevall in the 1920s and lived here for 30 years, completely transforming the then derelict house and gardens into stunning arts and crafts- style home. The gardens here are filled with interesting specimens from all around the world, including Western China and the Himalayas. You’ll find a wide variety of alpine and woodland plants, along with some rare and unusual perennials, trees and shrubs. Parcevall’s gardens also boast an interesting collection of old apple varieties and still contain many of Sir William’s favourite flowers, such as rhododendrons, camellias, fuchsias and primulas. The woods that surround the formal gardens are a haven for wildlife and, when climbing the hillside, visitors here are able to experience breathtaking views over the valley and the nearby rocky outcrop of Simon’s Seat. Parcevall Hall is currently a private retreat and its gardens are the only in Yorkshire to be registered with the RHS and English Heritage and open to the public. For visitors who might be feeling peckish, the gardens have their own quaint stone tearoom, which serves treats from Love Brownies.

Accessibility: As Parcevall Hall Gardens lie on a steep hillside with uneven paths and steps, they are unfortunately not accessible for wheelchair users. Dogs are welcome if kept on a lead.

Opening times: 10am-6pm daily (April-October). Last admittance 5pm.
Entry Prices: £8 (adult), £7 (senior citizens), under 12s free

The Valley Gardens, Harrogate
A flourishing reminder of Harrogate’s heyday, the grade II-listed Valley Gardens encompass 17 acres of parkland in the heart of this spa town. Nowadays, the Valley Gardens offer a picturesque spot to walk, reflect and play. Visitors can explore themed gardens, including the peaceful Japanese Garden and the Scree Garden, Peat Garden, Rock Garden and Sensory Garden, or admire the 1930s Sun Pavillion and Colonnade Walk. The beautifully-planted formal beds here even helped to earn the gardens a Platinum award in the 2022 Yorkshire in Bloom competition. The land that the Valley Gardens are built on contains a huge number of natural mineral springs. It was these springs that drew wealthy visitors to Harrogate, where they could sample the town’s famous chalybeate waters at the New Magnesia Well Pump Rooms – now Ripley ice cream shop. As you pass through the gardens today, you can still smell the sulphur in the meandering streams that run alongside the paths. The Valley Gardens has attractions to entertain visitors of all ages, with a wide variety of outdoor games including tennis, pitch and putt and crazy golf. There’s also a miniature boating lake and a children’s play area that has a paddling pool in the warmer months. On Sundays through the summer, an artisan market is held near to the garden’s entrance and music lovers can listen to live bands playing on the 1930s bandstand here.

Accessibility: Most of the Valley Gardens’ footpaths are suitable for wheelchair users and accessible toilets can be found around the park. Well behaved dogs are welcome.

Opening times: Open 24 hours a day, all year round
Free entry

Images: @rhsharlowcarr @thorp.perrow.arboretum @ntfountainsabbey