Beautiful gardens to visit in Nottinghamshire

Clumber Park

We all know the benefits of getting out and about into the great outdoors, particularly over the past few years. It can help reduce anxiety, depression and get you active! Nottinghamshire has some beautiful gardens worth exploring, ranging from rolling country parks full of history to top quality garden centres. So why not check out some of Nottinghamshire's beautiful parks and green spaces on a day out?

If you're based in the city, we love the Arboretum, just a stone’s throw from the city centre. Reportedly the inspiration for J.M Barrie’s Neverland, it’s a green oasis and a beautiful spot to relax in the sunshine.

There’s also Holme Pierrepont Country Park and Holme Pierrepont Hall with its manicured gardens sat amongst the Grade I listed Tudor Manor House. Holme Pierrepont is renowned for its glorious floral displays each season, with snowdrops in February, the rare wild 'Tulipa Sylestris' in April, and roses, clematis and flowering shrubs in the summer. Please note that you must book tickets in advance on the Holme Pierrepont website.

Likewise, both Rushcliffe Country Park and Bestwood Country Park are lesser-known gems full of blooms in spring and summer, great places to walk the dog or meet up with a friend. 

Elsewhere you can try Clumber Park’s walled gardens, famous for its National Rhubarb Collection (advance booking required via the Clumber Park website) or how about Naturescape Wildflower Farm, which is the largest producer of British wildflower seeds and has over 45 acres open to the public.

Newstead Abbey is set in a glorious landscape of gardens and parkland where paths meander past lakes, ponds and waterfalls. The formal gardens are the perfect place to relax and offer something in all seasons, especially the Japanese Gardens which offer beautiful blossoms in spring and a kaleidoscope of colour in autumn.

Be sure to visit the stunning gardens at Belvoir Castle, a mix of classical formal gardens boasting beautiful views over the Vale of Belvoir. A circuitous three-mile walk along the Dukes Walk takes in all gardens and views and leads you back to the castle.

And if all of these beautiful flowers have inspired you to improve your own garden, then we’d recommend Reg Taylor’s Garden Centre near Southwell, which has a nine-acre swan sanctuary no less.

We’ll leave you with this quote from Luther Burbank:

“Flowers always make people better, happier, and more helpful: they are sunshine, food and medicine to the soul.”