Spring has sprung and hopefully the worst of the cold weather is (hopefully) behind us!
With longer days and warmer temperatures, March is a wonderful time to start making the most of the plethora of outdoor attractions we have in Northumberland. And as buds start to bloom, trees re-robe in green, and animals wake from their hibernations, a visit to one of the county's stunning gardens is the perfect way to spend an afternoon.
Hidden throughout the county, you'll find walled gardens, nature trails and even somewhere every plant could cause serious illness or death! Here's our guide to the Northumberland gardens you should visit this spring.
Read more: Northumberland garden named one of the best in UK for spring flowers
Alnwick Garden
Denwick Lane, Alnwick, NE66 1YU
The Alnwick Garden opened its doors in 2001. Once a forgotten plot, the Duchess of Northumberland's vision has transformed it into a 21st century experience said to be full of fun, inspiration and imagination.
Split across several sections around the centrepiece of the Grand Cascade Waterfall, the garden is home to water sculptures, one of the world's largest treehouses, and there's even a section where every plant can cause you harm - the Poison Garden. And this year the world's largest play structure, Lilidorei, will open in the hope of bringing more tourists to Northumberland during outside of the summer high season.
What's particularly special in spring is The Cherry Orchard at the Alnwick Garden, which has the largest collection of Tai Haku cherry trees in the world. Visit in April and May to see them in their full pink blossoms.
Opening Times: 10am - 4pm until March 31, closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. 10am - 6pm from March 25 onwards.
Admission: From £11.50 for adults, first four children up to 16 go free (walk-in). Prices are slightly cheaper when booking in advance online, for more information visit the Alnwick Garden website.
Belsay Hall, Castle and Gardens
Belsay, Morpeth, NE20 0DX
There are three distinct but related elements at Belsay Hall. A medieval castle that was enlarged in the 17th century, a Greek Revival mansion and a garden which links the two buildings.
The gardens are packed with shrubs and flowers that change with the seasons, with the high point of a visit being the Quarry Garden. Here, there's a unique mix of ravines and pinnacles filled with ferns and rare plants.
The £3.4m Belsay Awakes project is set to be concluded this year, and while the hall has remained opened to visitors, there will be some "exciting" new additions for visitors later this year.
Opening Times: Belsay Hall is open all year round, but times vary depending on time of year - during March it is only open on weekends. For daily opening times, click here.
Admission: From £11 for adults, £9.50 for concessions and £6.50 for children aged 5 - 17. English Heritage members go free.
Cragside
Rothbury, Morpeth, NE65 7PX
Surrounded by more than 40 miles of footpaths, you can easily spend a whole day just getting lost in the grounds of Cragside. However, make sure to save some time for the house too, which was home to Victorian inventor, innovator and landscape genius Lord Armstrong.
It was the first house in the world to be lit by hydroelectricity, but its the gardens that are truly spectacular. Cragside is home to one of the largest hand-made rock gardens in Europe, a pinetum and an ornamental Italianate garden. You can also spot endangered red squirrels on lakeside walks.
Opening Times: Cragside is open all year round, but times vary depending on time of year. For daily opening times, click here.
Admission: Prices start at £22 for adults and £11 for children. For more information visit the National Trust website.
The Gertrude Jekyll Garden
Holy Island, Berwick-upon-Tweed, TD15 2SH
One of the lesser known attractions on Holy Island, the Gertrude Jekyll walled garden was created in 1911 and occupies the site of a vegetable patch which once provided the soldiers in Lindisfarne Castle with food. The horticulturist and artist created more than 400 gardens across the UK, USA and Europe in her lifetime.
This small garden is a combination of hardy annuals, colourful perennials and heritage vegetables. It's at its brightest and most colourful during the summer, but it's lovely to stumble across no matter what time of the year you visit.
Opening Times: Open 24 hours, but do check safe crossing times on the Lindisfarne Causeway before visiting. You can do that on the Northumebrland County Council website.
Admission: Free
Howick Hall Gardens
Howick Estate Office, Alnwick, NE66 3LB
The ancestral home of Earl Grey, there's even a suggestion the tea named after him was used to suit the water from the well at Howick. While we'll never know if that's true, we can be more sure that Howick Hall Gardens and Arboretum will delight nature lovers.
It's known for the spectacular drifts of daffodils that can be seen throughout the grounds in March, while the woodland garden has rhododendrons, camellias and magnolias from around April. The formal gardens, including the herbaceous borders and terraces in front of the Hall, come into their own from June.
The arboretum has been grown since 1985 and opened to the public in 2006, and is home to trees and shrubs from all around the world.
Opening Times: February 12 - March 31, 10.30am - 4pm. April 1 - September 30, 10.30am - 6pm. October 1 - Sunday 13, 10.30am - 4pm.
Admission: From £9.90 for adults, £8.80 for over 60s and £3.30 for children 5 - 16 years, children 4 years and under go free. For more information, visit the website.
Longframlington Gardens
Shaw Farm, Longframlington, Morpeth, NE65 8BE
Said to be a horticultural gem in the Northumberland countryside, Longframlington Gardens is being created as a multi-tasking centre for horticulture plants and gardens. It is being developed in phases and there are more than 1,000 types of shrubs, trees and perennials currently planted.
The Garden and Arboretum Walk allows guests to take in a 'living exhibition of plants', while the Nursery and Plant Centre has a range of trees and plants for sale.
Opening Times: Wednesday - Saturday 10am - 4.30pm.
Admission: From £7.50 for adults. Children under 16 accompanied by an adult, free. There is no charge for the nursery. For more information, visit the website.
Seaton Delaval Hall
The Avenue, Seaton Sluice, Whitley Bay, NE26 4QR
Built between 1719 and 1730 for Admiral George Delaval, Seaton Delaval Hall is regarded as one of the finest houses in the North East of England. Designed by architect Sir John Vanbrugh, the Delaval family were known partygoers and pranksters, and guests would sometimes find the furniture in their room fixed to the ceiling!
The landscape and gardens of the property, which is now managed by the National Trust, were designed to provide the same sense of drama and theatre as the hall and to show off the power, wealth and status of the family. The South East gardens have had life breathed back into them, while the parterre added in the 1950s was part of a brief to Italianise the gardens.
A £7.4m project called the Curtain Rises was completed in 2022 which saw the stately home restored and several installations were added to reflect the mischief and mayhem created by the Delavals. Read more about that here.
Opening Times: Seaton Delaval Hall is open all year round, but times vary depending on time of year. For daily opening times, click here.
Admission: Prices start from £9 for adults and £4.50 for children. National Trust members go free.
Whalton Manor
Whalton Manor, Whalton, Morpeth NE61 3UT
The three-acre garden in Whalton, near Morpeth, is attached to a 17th century manor house and has a series of magnificent architectural structures including an Italianate summerhouse, game larder, pergolas and a stone-paved courtyard.
For 2022, the gardens have been opened up to the public on Wednesdays and does guided tours which give a first-hand insight into their creation and upkeep.
Opening Times: Entrance is every Wednesday from 2 - 2.15pm from April 5 - October 25. Visits to the garden can also be made by appointment on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
Admission: £8 per person and the garden accepts cash only. For more information visit the Whalton Manor website.
Wallington
B6342 near Cambo, Morpeth NE61 4AR
Wallington is the former home of Socialist MP Sir Charles Trevelyan and the house is surrounded by a huge landscape of lawns, lakes, woodland, parkland and farmland. Hidden away in the woods, enter the walled garden which you can enter through Neptune's Gate.
This was a favourite spot of Lady Mary Trevelyan, who loved it for its tranquil atmosphere. And each spring, it becomes a riot of colour with a carpet of purple crocuses covering the ground.
Opening Times: Wallington is open all year round, but times vary depending on time of year. For daily opening times, click here.
Admission: Prices start at £10 for adults and £5 for children. For more information, visit the National Trust website.
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