Great Gardens to Visit in the North East this Autumn
Summer may be over, but these gardens have new colours to show you
Articled updated October 2024
Durham Botanic Garden
Autumn usually begins in late September at Durham Botanic Garden, with the sweet, sugary scent of the Katsura tree as it turns golden. Rare breed Manx Loaghtan and Hebridean sheep graze the wildflower meadow from October, and are well worth a look. If the weather isn’t co-operating, escape to the warmth of the glasshouse, where a tropical rainforest blooms under real rain, activated at the press of a button, and the Cactus House simulates desert conditions.
Hollingside Lane, South Road, Durham DH1 3DF
The Alnwick Garden
The Alnwick Garden is one of the most popular in the North, and it’s easy to see why. In the Ornamental Garden, the purple coneflowers contrast with the whites, reds and browns of the baneberry, creating a multi-seasonal display.
Locked away behind black iron gates, the small but deadly Poison Garden is filled with toxic, intoxicating and narcotic plants and comes with a strict warning not to touch, taste or sniff them – visit if you dare.
For something a little less dangerous, the garden’s Cherry Orchard has the largest collection of Taihaku trees in the world. Although the white blossom flowers in spring, the Taihaku are just as stunning in autumn, with their leaves turning a gorgeous copper colour.
Denwick Lane, Alnwick NE66 1FJ
Wallington Hall Gardens
A stroll amongst the vibrant maples, woodland trees with fairy doors in their trunks and unique sculptures in Wallington’s East Wood will lead you to the bewitching walled gardens beyond. Tucked beyond the unassuming Neptune Gate, the stone walls are covered by climbers giving a fantastical fairytale feel. Sit by the tranquil Mary Pool and look out for dahlias, asters, salvias and rudbeckia blooming in the borders until the first frosts.
The recently opened Garden of Imagination showcases a giant wooden book and storytelling chair and is the perfect spot for daydreaming. You might even spot Olive, Wallington’s resident cat, or evidence of the rehabilitated hedgehogs which were released into the garden in 2022.
Cambo, Northumberland NE61 4AR
Thorp Perrow Arboretum
During autumn, the woodland trails here are set ablaze as the leaves on the trees and shrubs morph through hues of gold, orange, red, brown and purple. The Arboretum is the most important of its kind in the North, spanning 100 acres and housing five National Plant Collections and 51 Champion Trees. Thorp Perrow is also home to more than 100 birds, including birds of prey such as owls, eagles and falcons.
In autumn, guided tours led by curator Faith Douglas, and ‘Fungus Forays’ with Dr Keith Thomas provide an insightful introduction to the mushrooms and fungi growing there.
Bedale DL8 2PS
Sunderland Museum & Winter Gardens
Ideal for rainy autumn days, Sunderland’s Winter Gardens are an undercover tropical paradise. Find more than 2,000 plants thriving in the glass rotunda, pay a visit to the exotic koi carp and enjoy a bird’s eye view of Mowbray Park from the treetop walkway.
This October, Fiona McKeown is offering a paper craft workshop. The half day event gives visitors the chance to create a dahlia from coloured crepe paper inspired by the painting ‘Winter Gardens, Interior’ by Daniel Whiteley Marshall.
Burdon Road, Sunderland SR1 1PP
Crook Hall Gardens
With the backdrop of a Grade-I listed medieval hall and stunning views of Durham Cathedral, Crook Hall is not to be missed. Made up of a series of interlinking complementary gardens, each one differs in both age and personality.
In autumn, the cotoneaster maze turns dark green before hundreds of red berries appear, making for a striking transformation. Purple Beautyberry shrubs and autumn crocuses also provide an unexpected pop of purple throughout the gardens. The moat pool is a serene place to watch the changing colours and is home to ducks and moorhens.
Frankland Lane, Sidegate, Durham, DH1 5SZ
Cragside
Britain’s original smart home, Cragside is the perfect meeting point of nature and technology thanks to pioneering Victorian inventors William and Margaret Armstrong.
While the house is impressive, the surrounding landscape is equally so; the Pinetum is home to some of the tallest trees in the country, and crossing the Iron Bridge will lead you to the Rock Garden, where meandering paths make it easy to get lost amongst the foliage. The recently replanted Formal Garden is well worth a visit too, with its spectacular views over the Coquet Valley.
Rothbury NE65 7PX
Howick Hall Gardens & Arboretum
Flora thrives year-round at Howick Hall, and autumn is no different; it is the turn of the colchicums, or ‘autumn crocuses’, planted by Lady Mabel Grey for their purple and white petals.
Japanese maples can be found in Silverwood, recognisable in autumn by their bright red leaves. Katsuras grow alongside them, turning from yellow through to pink and finally red as the season progresses. Smoke trees also have great autumn colour, and grow near the croquet lawn.
Another highlight of the gardens is the sensory garden, designed to allow both adults and children with autism to enjoy nature in a safe space.
Alnwick, NE66 3LB
Monteviot House & Gardens
Open until 31st October, Monteviot Gardens are designed to be enjoyed long into autumn. The series of unique gardens include the Winter Garden, with plants chosen specifically to produce vibrant colours in the colder months. There is also the Sorbus Avenue, which showcases hydrangeas and agapanthus blooms in autumn. The house sits above the River Tweed, with scenic views at every turn.
Monteviot House, Jedburgh TD8 6UQ
Saltwell Park
One of the 10 most popular parks in the UK, Saltwell Park’s ornamental gardens lie in the shadow of striking Gothic mansion Saltwell Towers. In autumn, see the scarlett sedum flowers in bloom, escape the William Wailes maze and visit the Japanese zen garden for a moment of reflection.
East Park Road, Gateshead NE9 5AX
Seaton Delaval Hall
Seaton Delaval Hall’s gardens can be enjoyed at any time of year. The Parterre, which was formerly a tennis court, is home to white beam and bay trees, as well as fountains and urns, and was created as an attempt to make the garden feel more Italian – so you can relive your summer holidays even with winter on the way.
The Rose Garden and its herbaceous borders thrive well into autumn here, so you can still enjoy the last blooms of the season. In the South East garden, two installations from Studio Hardie can be seen, inspired by the spirited nature of the Delaval family themselves.
The Avenue, Seaton Sluice NE26 4QR
Dilston Physic Garden
Focusing on growing plants and herbs that aid healing and wellbeing, Dilston Physic Garden is unlike any other in the North. With a relaxing aromatherapeutic chamomile lawn and a meditation hut, it’s the perfect place to soothe frazzled nerves.
They regularly run workshops and in October, these include ‘Common Herbs for the Common Cold’ and ‘Botanical Brain Balms: Calm & Sleep’. They’re also a registered charity, so donations go to a good cause.
Dilston, Corbridge, Northumberland NE45 5QZ
Longframlington Gardens
A horticultural gem in the Northumbrian countryside, Longframlington Gardens has more than 12 acres of gardens to explore and features more than 1,000 types of trees, shrubs and perennials. There is also a ‘living exhibition’, featuring thousands of hardy plants available to see year-round.
Throughout the gardens are display boards, set up by a former Kew Gardens student, which aim to educate visitors on the effects of climate change and how they can do their bit to lower emissions and promote biodiversity.
Longframlington, Morpeth NE65 8BE
Auckland Gardens
Almost a decade in the making, Auckland Gardens has been reimagined by Pip Morrison to complement the castle and beautiful surroundings. Originally designed for the Prince Bishops of Durham, the 17th century Walled Garden yields fresh fruit and root vegetables all autumn long. The changing leaves can best be seen in the Wilderness Garden, where untamed natural beauty roams free. The Faith Garden is a quiet spot for contemplation, its design reflecting the medieval chapel which once stood there and is now buried beneath. For views across the Deer Park, head to the North Terrace. In 2025, the Great Garden will open too, the centrepiece of the gardens as a whole.
Bishop Auckland DL14 7PG
Belsay Hall Gardens
Belsay’s expansive 30 acre gardens are Grade-I listed, and for good reason. The quarry garden has its own micro-climate, allowing exotic and unique plants to grow in autumn, too. Visitors are welcomed by silver birch trees, the scent of burnt sugar from the Japanese Katsura tree, and a meadow flowering with Persian Ironwood and autumn crocuses.
On the rock face, there are various mosses and lichens and a crimson glory vine climbs the quarry up to 30 feet high. The garden at Belsay changes with the seasons, so there’s always something new to discover.
Belsay, Northumberland NE20 0DX
