Discover the garden at Kingston Lacy

Close up photo of a child looking at a sprig of apple blossom — What will you notice when you take a closer look at blossom? | © National Trust Images/John Millar

Relax in the garden at Kingston Lacy, Dorset, with a gentle stroll or a brisk walk; you'll be sure of far-reaching views. The changing seasons bring interest to areas ranging from the Fernery and formal garden to the South Lawn and Kitchen Garden. Come in the spring for cherry blossom, in autumn for flaming red Japanese maples, and in winter for carpets of snowdrops.

The garden in spring

Spring comes early to Kingston Lacy's beautiful garden with a succession of flowers and blossom to celebrate the season. Look out for updates on blossom in the garden and around the Kingston Lacy estate as we pass through the season.

Spring flowers

Primroses and fritillaries flourish in the meadows under the cherry trees and the garden and woodland is filled with birdsong. Find daffodils massed along Lime Walk, iris reticulata and crocus tucked into borders and hyacinths and tulips that fill the garden with colour.

This time of year also sees the magnolias, azaleas and rhododendrons starting to open in Nursery Wood so it is the perfect time to experience some of nature’s show-stoppers in the garden at Kingston Lacy.

Blossom at Kingston Lacy

The seven-acre Japanese Garden comes alive with cherry blossom, nature's own confetti – not only beautiful on the trees, the pink and white petals create a magical effect falling like snow to the ground. In Japanese culture the cherry blossom represents both a new beginning and the fragility of life; nothing lifts the spirits quite like the simple beauty of blossom against a blue sky.

Over in the Kitchen Garden the orchards will be blooming, both old and new. Along one side of the Kitchen Garden are the older fruit trees, which still put on a beautiful show every spring. We've also been planning for the future; in 2022, 60 apple and 20 pear trees were planted on either side of a 100-metre arch that spans the garden and has been underplanted with crab apples and roses. These may still be small but the blossom is just as lovely.

Meanwhile, in the Vinery espaliered peaches come into flower against the heat of the restored brick walls.

Festival of Blossom

Blossom's fleeting visit is part of its charm – you have to be quick to catch it. It is also unpredictable; an early spring or a late frost can make a big difference to when the blossom is at its magical peak. Throughout the season, we hope to turn the spotlight on the different beautiful blossoms both here in the garden and around the Kingston Lacy estate to help you see it at its best.

The Sakura Cherry Tree project

A hundred cherry trees were planted in the Japanese Garden in February 2021, part of a British-Japanese project to celebrate cooperation and friendship between the two countries.

Kingston Lacy was gifted the trees by the Sakura Cherry Tree project (https://japanuksakura.org/). More than a century ago, Henrietta Bankes developed a fascination with Japanese gardens that led her to create her own Tea Garden, which was restored by the Trust in 2005 with a rich diversity of plants native to Japan, from bamboo to maples to cherries.

Now, the peaceful and tranquil gardens have been further enhanced, helping to ensure that this space offers a magnificent display of blossom every spring for generations to come.

Peach blossom against the white wall at Calke Abbey, Derbyshire — Peach blossom | © National Trust Images/David Goacher

Kingston Lacy's garden

South Lawn

The wide open spaces of South Lawn are perfect for a game of frisbee, or spread out a rug for a picnic. Or settle in to one of the deckchairs that go out in the summer, ready for a peaceful snooze surrounded by the hum of insects.

South Terrace and the Parterre

Follow the wide path in front of the house to see beautifully planted formal borders. The South Terrace's spring bulb display is followed by a tropical vibe, with exotics in dark colours. Then you can look down into the Parterre, an example of classic Victorian bedding updated for the 21st century.

The Fernery

This shady, secret spot with its twisting paths, benches and rustic raised beds was recreated after the Trust took over Kingston Lacy. Head to the Fernery in January and February to see many different varieties of snowdrop in flower, or find a bench by the fountain to escape the heat of summer.

Cedar Avenue

Stroll down Cedar Avenue and take in the beauty of the majestic and stately cedar trees. Many of these trees were cultivated from seeds brought from the slopes of Mount Lebanon in the early 1800s; the Bankes family also invited royal guests to plant a cedar tree to mark a visit.

Lime Avenue

Lime Avenue forms a spectacular cathedral of trees, with successive waves of colour throughout the year. In the winter the ground turns white with snowdrops, followed by the yellow of daffodils, the blue of bluebells, and the white of wild garlic. Visit later in the year to inhale the wonderful scent of the limes.

Nursery Wood and the Hyde collection

At the end of Lime Aveneue is the arboretum, Nursery Wood. This area bursts into life during the spring and summer months, with a spectacular display of azalea, camellia and rhododendron.

George Hyde was a local nurseryman, a rhododendron and azalea hybridist, who had been a pupil of Queen Elizabeth’s Grammar School in Wimborne. In 1996 Rosemary Legrand, his daughter, presented a gift of over 500 mature Hyde azalea and rhododendron hybrids raised by her father, including the named and registered Shakespeare rhododendron collection, and his mature camellia stock plants, to the National Trust for the gardens at Kingston Lacy.

Autumn is a great time to see peeling bark on the paperbark maples, and look out too for the delicate white and pale pink blossom of the winter-flowering cherry, which appears throughout the winter to lift spirits.

The Camellia Walk

Turn the other way at the end of Lime Avenue to discover a collection of colourful camellias, which bloom for months from as early as January. Huge bushes with glossy green leaves are covered in the reds and pinks of these glamorous flowers, which keep their colour as they drift to the ground.

The Japanese Garden

Set foot in the far east as you explore this seven-acre interpretation of a centuries-old horticultural tradition. Follow Lady Walk and look out for bamboo plants, granite lanterns and an authentic Japanese tea garden, set amid acers and cherry trees underplanted with wildflowers.

Exploring the garden in May at Kingston Lacy, Dorset | © National Trust Images/James Dobson

An ancient treasure leads the way

The nine-metre-high Philae obelisk casts a shadow over Kingston Lacy’s South Lawn, and leads the way to Blind Walk, a meandering path with cherry trees and shrubs that provide all-year-round interest (and a second obelisk).

Stay on South Lawn to discover the Sunken Garden, planted with colourful bulbs in spring and a pollinator's paradise of wildflowers in the summer.

Kitchen Garden

A slightly longer walk takes you to the Kitchen Garden, which has been conserved to give visitors a sense of the garden's Victorian heyday. There are glasshouses with vines and peaches, a new orchard planted along a pergola that spans the width of the garden, and a chance to see inside the buildings used by the garden team more than 100 years ago.

There's a play area for children, and a kiosk serving hot and cold drinks and light snacks.

There are more changes planned, so come along and see what’s been going on. There may even be seasonal products to take home for a small donation. There's a more indepth article at the foot of this page.