How to save on visits to the UK’s most beautiful gardens this spring

Families in the UK can visit some of the country’s most beautiful gardens for free or with discounted admission this spring.

The National Gardens Scheme gives visitors access to over 3,300 private gardens across England, Wales, Northern Ireland and the Channel Islands while raising money for nursing and health charities.

The programme, which has been running since 1927, allows people to visit gardens at stately homes or arrange visits to private residences.

Last year, the National Gardens Scheme raised more than £3.8m for charities including Carers’ Trust, Macmillan Cancer Support, Marie Curie, Hospice UK, Parkinson’s UK and The Queen’s Nursing Institute.

Families can make huge savings through the scheme’s website. A trip to Blenheim Palace Gardens when visiting on the 10 May, for example, is priced at £10 for an adult ticket instead of £31, according to consumer champion Which?. Children’s tickets are £7 instead of £15.

Another deal that can be obtained through the scheme is at Rydal Mount and Gardens in Cumbria. The historic home of poet William Wordsworth can be accessed for £6.50 on open days, including 30 and 31 March, 1 April, 1, 2 and 3 June, representing a huge discount on tickets that usually cost £12.50.

Scotland runs its own Gardens Scheme, which similarly raises money for charity through its admissions.

There are 435 gardens to choose from, including on remote islands and in the grounds of castles and private cottages.

Separate to the National Gardens Scheme,Which? has highlighted savings at one of the country’s most impressive sites, which usually costs at least £29 to enter.

Hampton Court Palace’s gardens span over 60 acres and reflect 500 years of history, spanning the Tudor, Baroque and Victorian periods.

For certain days this year, the palace gardens will be open free of charge with no tickets or pre-booking required. This includes 14 and 15 March, 9 and 10 May, 12 and 13 September, 10 and 11 October, 21 and 22 November and 26 December (The Wilderness garden only).

Entrance to the Palace, the Maze and the Magic Garden will still require a ticket.

Read more: Five of the UK’s best places to visit in spring for beautiful walks