England's gardens are world-renowned, with iconic spaces like Kew Gardens, Sissinghurst, and the Chelsea Flower Show drawing visitors from across the globe. However, beyond these famous horticultural attractions lies a hidden world of secret gardens—intimate, personal, and often overlooked spaces that offer equally magical experiences with a fraction of the crowds.
At Lesnaya Kinza, we've spent years cultivating relationships with garden owners and discovering hidden green sanctuaries throughout England. Here, we share some of our favorite secret gardens that showcase England's horticultural heritage in uniquely peaceful settings.
Painswick Rococo Garden, Gloucestershire
Tucked away in a Cotswold valley near Stroud, Painswick Rococo Garden represents England's only surviving complete rococo garden. Created in the 1740s as a flamboyant pleasure garden for hosting garden parties, this quirky space combines architectural follies, winding paths, and theatrical vistas in a style that was fashionable for just a brief period.
The garden fell into obscurity and became overgrown until the 1980s when a remarkable restoration project began. Today, visitors can experience the whimsical spirit of the Georgian era through its asymmetrical planting schemes, rustic buildings, and spectacular snowdrop display in early spring—one of the largest naturalized collections in England.
Beyond the snowdrops, each season brings different delights: blossoming fruit trees in the restored kitchen garden in spring, wildflower meadows in summer, and the striking red-stemmed dogwoods and architectural follies that stand out in winter's stark landscape.
High Glanau Manor, Monmouthshire
While technically just over the border in Wales, High Glanau's Edwardian gardens deserve inclusion for their spectacular views over the Wye Valley toward England and their perfect preservation of Arts and Crafts garden design principles.
Created in 1922 by H. Avray Tipping, a noted garden designer and architectural editor of Country Life magazine, High Glanau features formal terraces with original stone walls and architectural features, a pergola dripping with wisteria, herbaceous borders, and a kitchen garden still enclosed by its original walls.
The current owners have meticulously restored the gardens according to Tipping's original plans, creating a perfect time capsule of Edwardian gardening ideals. The sloping site offers breathtaking views across the countryside, while intimate garden rooms provide surprise and delight around every corner.
High Glanau opens only occasionally under the National Gardens Scheme, making a visit here particularly special.
York Gate Garden, Leeds
Just north of Leeds lies York Gate, a perfect one-acre jewel box of a garden that demonstrates how small spaces can achieve perfection through meticulous design. Created by the Spencer family between 1951 and 1994, the garden is now maintained by the charity Perennial.
What makes York Gate extraordinary is its series of fourteen garden rooms, each with distinct character but flowing together harmoniously. The Arts and Crafts influence is evident in the high-quality craftsmanship of the yew and beech hedging, the stone paths, and the garden structures.
Highlights include the canal garden with its precise topiary, the lush dell shaded by mature trees, and the herb garden with its geometric pattern of beds. Though small, York Gate rewards slow exploration, with carefully framed views and hidden details revealing themselves to observant visitors.
Coleton Fishacre, Devon
Cascading down a coastal valley to the sea, the garden at Coleton Fishacre combines the influence of the Mediterranean with quintessentially English planting in a microclimate that allows tender exotic species to thrive outdoors.
Created in the 1920s for the D'Oyly Carte family (of Gilbert and Sullivan opera fame), the garden surrounds an elegant Arts and Crafts house. The sheltered valley setting allows palms, echiums, proteas, and other semi-tropical plants to flourish, creating an exotic atmosphere that seems far removed from typical English gardens.
Paths wind down through terraces of bold architectural plants, eventually leading to a viewpoint overlooking the sea. The maritime influence is everywhere—salt-tolerant plants thrive in the lower garden, while the upper areas feature more traditional herbaceous borders and woodland plants.
Though managed by the National Trust, Coleton Fishacre's remote location in South Devon keeps it relatively uncrowded, particularly in shoulder seasons.
Herterton House, Northumberland
In the shadow of Northumberland's Wallington Estate lies one of England's most personal and charming small gardens. Herterton House Garden was created by Frank and Marjorie Lawley, who spent over 40 years transforming the grounds of their 16th-century farmer's cottage into a series of exquisitely detailed garden rooms.
The garden's design draws on historical precedents but creates something entirely unique. Each of the five main areas has a distinct character: the formal flower garden with its intricate patterns of low hedges, the physic garden filled with medicinal herbs, the topiary and sculpture in the fancy garden, the flora garden showcasing plant families, and the nurseryman's garden with unusual perennials.
Herterton exemplifies how artistic vision, deep horticultural knowledge, and decades of patient work can create a garden of extraordinary richness and detail. The Lawleys' achievement is all the more remarkable considering the challenging northern climate and their limited resources.
The Garden House, Devon
Hidden in the Dartmoor National Park, The Garden House combines historic and contemporary garden design in a magical ten-acre site centered around the ruins of a medieval vicarage.
The garden is divided into distinct areas that flow naturally into one another. The walled garden, dating from the 16th century, contains cottage-garden-style planting with rare and unusual specimens. The South African garden showcases plants from that region that thrive in Devon's climate, while the new arboretum focuses on wild-collected specimens from around the world.
What makes The Garden House special is its combination of formal and naturalistic elements. Structured yew hedges and stone walls provide the architectural framework, while abundant, sometimes seemingly wild planting softens the edges and creates a sense of mystery. The garden changes dramatically through the seasons, from spring's magnificent display of bulbs to summer's rich borders and autumn's fiery colors.
Planning Your Garden Journey
Visiting these hidden horticultural treasures requires some planning, as many have limited opening hours or are open only on certain days. Here are some tips for exploring England's secret gardens:
- Research opening times carefully—many private gardens open only through the National Gardens Scheme on specific dates.
- Consider visiting in "shoulder seasons" (late spring or early autumn) when gardens may be less crowded but still beautiful.
- Bring appropriate footwear—even the most formal gardens often have gravel paths or damp grass areas.
- Pack weather protection—English weather is famously changeable, and sudden showers can occur even on seemingly clear days.
- Keep a garden journal to record plants and design ideas that inspire you.
At Lesnaya Kinza, we specialize in creating garden-focused tours that combine these hidden gems with other cultural and natural attractions. Our horticultural experts can arrange private visits to gardens not normally open to the public and provide insights into the history, design principles, and notable plants at each location.
While England's famous gardens will always draw admirers, there's something deeply satisfying about discovering these lesser-known spaces where passionate gardeners have created personal visions of paradise. These intimate gardens often reveal more about English gardening traditions, innovations, and the deeply personal relationship between gardeners and their plots than their more famous counterparts.
Contact us to plan your journey through England's secret gardens, and discover the hidden horticultural wonders that await beyond the typical tourist trail.
