There are many breathtaking and relaxing gardens open to the public throughout Suffolk. Suffolk Gardens are home to a wide variety of plants, flowers, and trees, all of which are rare and fascinating. If you want to experience the picturesque scenery, see wildlife, and maybe picnic on the lawn or in the rolling Suffolk countryside in the spring and summer, this is the place to be. This list details the gardens that are available in Suffolk, so you can choose which one you want to visit first.
Otley Hall, a moated 15th to 16th-century hall nestled in 10 acres of beautiful gardens, is a Grade I listed structure. The hall has long been known as the oldest surviving Suffolk building. Every Wednesday from May to September, the gardens are open to the public, and people may join for guided tours of both the building and its picturesque grounds. Otley Hall’s garden cafe serves tea, coffee, light lunches, locally baked goods and wines. The function rooms and gardens are available for hire for private dinners, club and society excursions, and parties may be held there. They provide an ideal location for ‘get away from it all’ conferences and away days. For more information, dates, and prices, see Otley Hall
Located just a short drive from the A14 highway or Bury St Edmunds and Stowmarket, Drinkstone Park B&B and Gardens is a wonderful place to stay. The Drinkstone Park estate’s three acres of beautiful, peaceful gardens are open as part of the National Gardens Scheme during the summer, and guests can enjoy lodging amongst the vibrant gardens.
Suffolk Gardens Open This Year
Find information on all the Suffolk Gardens participating in the National Garden Scheme here.
In this West Suffolk region’s hidden corner, Langham Hall Walled Garden takes visitors back to the Georgian period, when the 3-acre garden was created. Managed and restored by Phil Mizen since 2006, Langham Herbs is an efficient 2-acre kitchen garden. Sue Wooster started taking over the duties as caretaker of the beautiful ornamental garden later that year. She now runs Bellflower Nursery and holds the National Collection of Alpine Campanulas.
Visitors to the Walled Garden are welcome from April till October on Thursdays and Fridays from 10-5 and Saturday mornings from 10-1. We are part of the Gardeners’ Friday Scheme, which invites keen gardeners to visit four diverse and fascinating garden havens in West Suffolk on Fridays from April to September. Entry is £2.50 at each garden – no need to book.
Gardens in the Gardeners’ Friday scheme are:
Langham Hall Walled Garden
Wyken Hall, near Stanton
Lucy Redman in Rushbrooke
Fuller’s Mill, West Stow
For further information contact – –
Langham Hall Walled Garden, Langham, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk IP31 3EE
Bellflower Nursery – alpinecampanulas.co.uk – [email protected]
Langham Herbs – www.langhamherbs.co.uk – [email protected]
Picnics are fantastic for families and those wanting to relax in nature. There are loads of beautiful sites to choose from – please click on the link above.
The Gold and Silver Gardens, a Victorian Stumpery, and the Temple Rose Garden surround Ickworth House, Parkland Gardens in Bury St Edmunds, an unusual oval structure begun in 1795. The Gardens were created in the early 19th century in the Italian style. An elevated walkway provides a division between the Gardens and the 1,800-acre wooded parkland that is home to plant, animal, and bird species where you can wander and explore. There’s also a wildlife playground on site, as well as a woodland trim trail and a family bike trail. For more info, click on the link above.
Country Parks in Suffolk
There are a number of Country Parks in Suffolk that are all beautiful locations perfect for picnics, relaxing strolls, scenic jogging or fun – and free! – family days out.
There are a variety of protected and publicly accessible historic houses and gardens in The National Trust in Suffolk, where you will certainly find something to match your personal interests. For more information on The National Trust in Suffolk, please see our guide to the National Trust in Suffolk.
The romantic Elizabethan manor house in Stanton is surrounded by Wyken Hall Gardens. In the summer, visitors can explore these beautiful gardens from Sunday to Friday between the hours of 2 and 6 pm. This garden provides a paradise for lovers of herbs, knots, roses, kitchens gardens, wildflower meadows, nut orchards, and a maze, among other noteworthy sights like the Millenium Giant Stride. Arabella Lennox-Boyd designed the knot garden and formal herb garden. A pergola covered in blossoms runs along the outside wall of the rose garden, and a colourful border lines the outside wall of the kitchen garden, which includes a greenhouse and fruit trees. The Wyken Vineyards are set for a short walk through the ancient woodland. Contact 01359 250262 or visit https://wykenvineyards.co.uk/ for more information
In 1895, Ipswich’s Christchurch Park was the town’s first public park. The 70 acres of wooded land, rolling lawns, and beautifully created arboreta boast a wide diversity of trees. Christchurch Park surrounds the renowned Christchurch mansion, which is now an art gallery, museum, and tea room. Over a hundred different bird species and chirping squirrels inhabit the park, and convenient facilities, such as a croquet lawn, a tennis court, s play area, and a bowling green can also be found here, in addition to shelters, kiosks, and toilets. Christchurch Park plays host to a myriad of events, like the Ipswich Flower Show, The Ipswich Carnival, The Ip-Art Festival, and the Remembrance Day Ceremony. The park is open to the public from Monday and Saturday between the hours of 7:30 am to 4 pm, and on Sundays from 9 am to 4 pm.
Discover the awe-inspiring Abby Gardens in Bury St Edmunds that surround the ruins of the renowned Bury St Edmunds Abbey. The Bury in Bloom campaign is inspired by beautiful summer bedding displays. The gardens also feature an exciting play area, countless ducks, tennis courts, aviaries, a tea shop, a bowling green, and a lovely riverside walk that leads to the local nature reserve, No Man’s Meadows.
Visitors can explore the park from Monday to Saturday at 7:30 am and on Sundays from 9 am until sunset. Make a booking or an enquiry by contacting the Abbey Gardens Bowls Hut at 01284 757490.
An excursion to Helmingham Hall Gardens in Stowmarket, a Grade 1 Listed site, is sure to be an unforgettable experience. Surrounded by a 400-year-old ancient red deer park, the moated Tudor Hall, which has been owned and occupied by the Tollemache family for the last five centuries, is a spectacular sight. The unique traditional gardens are enhanced by nature and modern accents.
There are so many wonderful places to see in these serene gardens that visitors will be overwhelmed when trying to pick where to start their day. Don’t miss The Knot Garden, whether you view it up close or from the windows of the Hall. This garden features two-knot patterns planted in a box, one of which is divided into four squares, each of which contains plants that were introduced to Britain before 1750. The Tollemache fret is depicted in two of the squares, and they contain plants that were introduced to Britain before 1750.
Breath-taking beauty characterizes the Rose Garden at the Arboretum, which includes many rare as well as traditional rose breeds, such as ‘Mundi,’ ‘The Fairy,’ catmint, and forget-me-nots. The dense planting in a limited colour palette is especially effective. Wildflowers, primroses, ox-eye daisies, and other species thrive in the Orchard and Wild Flower Garden as you cross the moat. The tennis court is set back as far as possible to lessen its visual impact. After traversing the previous gardens, it is refreshing to find a hint of natural wildness near the Tudor deer enclosure.
The picturesque and unique Somerleyton Gardens surround Somerleyton Hall, an archetypal Tudor-Jacobean mansion in Lowestoft. A pergola with old wisteria, roses, clematis, and vines is present, as are a walled garden and an arboretum with rhododendrons, azaleas, and a variety of specimen trees. When visiting Somerleyton, you must make sure to see the Maze, which was planted in 1846. The Maze offers nearly 800 yards of twists and turns, but be careful: you might get lost if you don’t pay attention
Wheelchair-accessible areas are available in most parts of the Hall and gardens. Guide dogs are welcome. There are two disabled toilets in the Winter Garden as well as at the top of the gardens. Somerleyton is open between the months of April and the end of October between the hours of 10 am and 5 pm, while the Hall is open between 11:30 am and 3:30 pm. Visitors can enjoy the various lovely picnic areas at the Hall. Contact 01502 734901 to get more information regarding private tours and visits
Please click on the following links for information on what Suffolk has to offer:
Farm shops and Farmers Markets
Have you visited a Public Garden in Suffolk? Perhaps you know of one not included here? Please send all reviews and comments to [email protected].