Whether a royalist or a horticulturalist enthusiast, there are so many beautiful royal gardens across the UK, where families can enjoy a wander around as well as a bite to eat while taking in the sights. Staycation experts at holidaycottages.co.uk have shared the best royal gardens to plan a visit to either this weekend or throughout the summer months.
1. Kew Gardens, London
Kew Gardens is one of the most beautiful royal gardens to visit in the UK, which includes more than 50,000 different plants in its living collection.
It is also home to the Temperate House, the world’s largest Victorian greenhouse which holds rare and threatened plants.
There are also plenty of eating opportunities and picnics are welcome as well as lots of areas for children to explore and enjoy.
The experts noted: “It is also home to the world’s oldest plant, the cycad, and there are over 500 acres of woodland to hunt down the perfect picnic spot.” Tickets can be purchased online or at the gate with prices starting at £17 per person for peak times.
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2. Windsor Great Park, Berkshire
Windsor Great Park covers nearly 2,000 hectares and lies on the spectacular grounds adjacent to the castle and deer park.
Windsor Great Park is home to The Long Walk, which is a tree-lined avenue stretching almost 2.5 miles, as well as Virgina Water and The Savill Garden.
The Savill Garden is a 35-acre haven of gardens, woodland and seasonal displays, with the Cow Pond and Obelisk Pond popular attractions.
The Estate is also a popular shooting location for television dramas and motion pictures including Christopher Robin, Bridget Jones’s Baby and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.
There are plenty of car parks around the sites, which offer access to different areas of the parks, and if you want to enter The Savill Garden, it costs between £7.95 and £13.95, unless you have a membership card.
3. Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, Scotland
The staycation experts said: “A world leader of excellence in plant science, the Royal Botanic Garden in Edinburgh is one to add to the bucket list.
“With a 70-acre oasis of trees, grass and plant life in the heart of the city, you can take shade beneath the mature trees. Or you can go on an exploration of the winding paths through woodland and slopes where plants from around the world flourish.”
Together, their four gardens across Scotland are home to one of the largest and richest plant collections on Earth.
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4. RHS Garden Wisley, Surrey
Wisley, which is located just off the M25, is the flagship garden of the Royal Horticultural Society, boasting exotic gardens, a conifer lawn and riverside gardens.
It is home to some of the largest plant collections anywhere in the globe, and the planting schemes are constantly evolving to ensure there’s always something new to excite and inspire visitors.
There are more than 200 acres of gardens and woodland to explore, with plenty of play areas and space for children to run free as well as lots of cafes and restaurants.
5. Hampton Court Gardens, London
The pros continued: “Steeped in hundreds of years of history, Hampton Court Palace Gardens are bursting with colour with over one million flowering bulbs to marvel at.
“The 60 acre formal gardens and 750 acres of parkland sit outside of the Grade I listed palace, and if you’re lucky you might spot some of the descendants of Henry VIII’s deer herd.
“Make sure to stop off for a bite to eat by the River Thames, before exploring the world’s oldest puzzle maze.”
6. Highgrove House Gardens, Gloucestershire
Although the private residence is closed to the public, its extensive gardens are open for group tours, with a gorgeous tea room on site.
Located just a few miles south of the town Tetbury, the gardens are surrounded by the gorgeous rolling countryside of the Cotswolds, perfect for exploring with the family.
Sarah Pring, Digital PR Manager, at holidaycottages.co.uk, said: “Across the UK we are lucky to have some beautiful royal gardens which demonstrate both the heritage and the amazing horticulture Britain has to offer.
“So, with the King’s Coronation coming up, we wanted to showcase some of the best royal gardens across the UK for tourists to explore, and maybe settle down for a picnic whilst visiting.”
