The trees may be laid bare and have lost their golden glow, but there’s nothing better for the mind, body and soul than marching forth on a crisp winter’s day.
Especially if you’ve been cooped up at home, need to stretch your legs, or remind yourself how breathing in the fresh air is a great tonic.
So grab your woolly hat and mittens, put on your comfy walking shoes, grab the dog’s lead, round up the kids, or set off solo, and let’s go…
RHS Garden Rosemoor, Great Torrington, Devon
Walk in the footsteps of Lady Anne Berry, a famed plantswoman who bequeathed her estate to the RHS – and the variety of gardens explains why it’s renowned for being one of the most treasured in the country. Here, you can flip-flop between the Cool Garden featuring grasses and silvery evergreen shrubs, to its Winter Garden lit with special effect lighting, to its Cottage Garden which sparkles like a frosted fir tree.
RHS Winter Garden at Hyde Hall, Chelmsford, Essex
With a spectacular array of seasonal foliage and berries, one of the highlights of this Winter Garden is its living willow sculptures – each form is unique and looks particularly striking against a low winter sun. Its paths are lined with dogwood where you can soak up the natural beauty of these broad leaf shrubs, and deep crimson stems which brighten the landscape.
Royal Botanic Gardens Kew Wakehurst’s Winter Garden, West Sussex
Another Winter Garden which gifts in many ways, chances are you’ll be greeted by the fresh, spicy scent of witch hazel when you walk through its gilded gates – where these pretty spidery flowers abound. Continuing along its twisting path, think fully fledged silver birch trees as you look up to the sky, acres of woodland and the magnificent Westwood Lake with kingfishers and herons to pique your interest.
Blickling Estate, Aylsham, Norfolk
In the middle of 55 acres of formal gardens and 500 acres of woodland stands this mighty Jacobean stately home. In winter, when dusk sets, you can stroll through its wondrously lit garden for Wild Nature After Dark events, before heading to the Parterre which retains its magnificent ornamental arrangements. And then there’s the Buck’s Arms, 17-century pub adjacent to the hall for a well-deserved pint.
Fountains Abbey and Studley Royal Water Garden, North Yorkshire
An impressive and powerful landmark, you’ll need sturdy walking boots for this UNESCO World Heritage Site. One of the biggest things to see is the ruins of Fountains Abbey, a towering monastery with vaulted ceilings and grand columns to fire your imagination. And then there’s the Georgian water garden with its ornamental lakes, temples and cascading waterfalls before taking in the beauty of Studley Royal Deer Park, home to more than 300 fallow deer.
Threave Garden & Nature Reserve, Dumfries & Galloway, Scotland
When you long for the wilderness of nature, the landscape in this ‘haven for wildlife’ is where it’s at. Garden lovers can visit the one-of-a kind Scottish garden at Threave, dedicated to the teaching of horticulturists with different ‘garden rooms’ highlighting various styles and concepts. While others can focus on the breathtaking vista with ospreys and falcons flying over the wetlands, before a guided tour of the Bat Reserve.
