Wales North
Bodnant Garden, Conwy Dunham Massey, Cheshire
Bodnant’s winter garden has now been open for
almost four years and with its colourful and fragrant
plants it brightens up even the coldest of winter
days. Discover coloured-stemmed birches, bright
bergenias and bulbs such as snowdrops, iris, cyclamen
and crocus. Enjoy the scent of winter shrubs such as
hamamelis, daphne and sarcococca. At weekends
during the winter months you’ll be able to enjoy a
warming cuppa in the bottom of the garden at the
Dell tea stop. With hot drinks, snacks and a warming
fire, it’s the perfect place to pause and reflect while on
your way round the garden.
www.nationaltrust.org.uk/bodnant-garden
Dyffryn Gardens, Vale of
Glamorgan
Discover Dyffryn Gardens’ enchanting series of intimate
outdoor rooms. In the Kitchen Garden you’ll be able
to spot flourishing home grown vegetables such as
curly kale, sprouts and cabbages. Wander through the
arboretum past bright red holly berries and discover the
winter roses on a frosty walk down the winding paths.
Warm up in the glasshouses where you’ll find a bright
and airy vinery, a cacti house and a tropical feeling
rainforest blooming with orchids and banana trees.
www.nationaltrust.org.uk/dyffryn-gardens
Colby Woodland Garden,
Pembrokeshire
During the winter months Colby welcomes a surprisingly
rosy colour palette. The woodlands are full of holly with
bright berries while the edges of the meadow are lined
with red dogwood, and in the walled garden you’ll
find pink hellebores. White bark birch trees sparkle in
the winter sun and the aptly named rhododendron
‘Christmas Cheer’ is in flower from late January. The
paths are dog-friendly too, perfect for getting the
whole family out for a winter stroll.
www.nationaltrust.org.uk/colby-woodland-garden
Dunham Massey’s Winter Garden is the largest of
its kind in the UK. The seven-acre garden is home to
over 500 different plant species and a further 1,000
shrubs providing plenty of distractions from the cold -
from striking white-stemmed silver birches and bright
dogwood barks to colourful berries and flowers.
Beneath the trees, thousands of bulbs spring to life
over the cold season, including snowdrops, white
cyclamen and striking blue winter irises.
www.nationaltrust.org.uk/dunham-massey
Sizergh, Cumbria
With winter comes the opportunity to discover
Sizergh’s newly created stumpery and take in
the seasonal planting in the garden, showcasing
coloured and textured bark as well as winter berries
and bulbs. The twisted trunks of the Acers in the rock
garden are laid bare amongst the limestone and
iced-over rock pools. After a bracing stroll around
the gardens warm up with a hot drink and a tasty
treat from the café.
www.nationaltrust.org.uk/sizergh
Wallington, Northumberland
Leave the formality of the house behind this winter
and explore the wonderful 18th-century pleasure
ground waiting for you in the woods at Wallington.
Follow the growing winter trail and take in the
seasonal planting through the East Wood, with trees,
shrubs and plants showcasing coloured and textured
bark and winter berries. Discover the mini-lake
covered in a sprinkling of frost and the enchanting
Walled Garden, where the Edwardian conservatory
bursts with colour and scent all year round. The
grounds at Wallington are open all year round.
www.nationaltrust.org.uk/wallington
Every single visit supports the National Trust’s conservation work, looking after special
places for people to enjoy for years to come.
33