FABULOUSLY FAMILY-FRIENDLY GARDENS TO VISIT DURING THE SCHOOL HOLIDAYS
If you want to venture further than your local park with your children during the school holidays, there are some glorious gardens to visit this summer, which don’t have to cost a fortune.
Children go free at the majority of National Garden Scheme gardens, which raises money for health charities and other organisations, while the National Trust is putting on hundreds of free events for families during the school holidays, through its Summer of Play initiative, sponsored by Starling Bank, at 184 National Trust places across England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Here are just a few of the beautiful family-friendly gardens to visit during the school holidays.
1. Attingham Park, Shropshire Normal admission charges/ free for National Trust members
There’s no extra charge for taking part in A World of Play (July 6-September 2) at Attingham’s seven-acre natural play area called the Field of Play. Youngsters are invited to test their agility on the straw bale spider, race through the labyrinth or release their inner rockstar in the music zone.
2. The Grange, Skipton, Yorkshire Open July 24 and August 14 for the NGS
Bountiful herbaceous borders with many unusual species, rose walk, parterre, mini-meadows and water features are a sight for sore eyes over four acres of this hugely varied garden set in the grounds of a Victorian house (not open).
3. Calke Abbey, Derbyshire
Children can unleash their creative spirit in the Garden of Imagination in the walled kitchen garden of Calke’s historic parkland and gardens.
They can run wild in the open meadow, build a den in the wood, go deer spotting or venture to The Slip Garden to cool down under apple and apricot trees.
There’s also a natural play area, cycle-hire facilities, and access to popular walking routes around the estate, along with the chance to explore a human-sized badger sett.
4. Welsh Lavender, Powys Open July 22 to August 2 for the NGS; pre-booking essential
Whether you want to explore during the NGS open days, or fancy an activity-packed course, you’ll be able to wallow in fields of blue lavender which peak from mid-july to mid-august.
The farm, situated at 1,100ft high in the hills of mid-wales, offers spectacular views and is a bumblebee haven with its wild flower area and orchards.
See how the distillation process works, and visit the farm shop to try body creams and balms made with lavender oil distilled on the farm.
5. RHS Gardens nationwide For details visit rhs.org.uk
All five RHS gardens (Wisley, Surrey; Rosemoor, Devon; Harlow Carr, North Yorkshire; Bridgewater, Greater Manchester; and Hyde Hall, Essex) will be running events on selected dates throughout the summer holidays with a central theme of ‘Shaun the Sheep’, in collaboration with Aardman.
Families can join Shaun on his quest to learn how to grow the best fruit and veg at Mossy Bottom Farm with a range of interactive activities, including a hay bale maze, O’lamb’pics games, interactive trails, clay-station drop-in sessions, and hands-on garden activities.
6. Clumber Park, Nottinghamshire
Outdoor games, a mini stage and a straw bale maze feature in Clumber Park’s Summer of Play (from July 22-September 8) amid 3,800 acres of parkland carved out of the ancient forest of Sherwood. Additional drop-in events will be on offer in the summer school holidays including storytelling, face painting and sports coaching.
7. Nymans, West Sussex
There will be family activities throughout the school holidays at this Grade II listed garden set around a romantic house and ruins, surrounded by the Sussex Weald countryside. These will include den building and arts and crafts in the play glade and an obstacle course.
9. Glamis Castle & Gardens, Angus, Scotland
A summer family fun day on August 11 is among the highlights of events in the sweeping grounds of this 14th century castle, once host to Mary, Queen of Scots, rebuilt over centuries and thought to have inspired Shakespeare’s Macbeth.
It was also the childhood home of the late Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother and birthplace of the late Princess Margaret.
The fun day will include wild foraging workshops, family yoga sessions and bouncy castles, among other attractions.