There’s a stunning garden an hour’s drive from Manchester - but it’s only open 10 days a year

A visit to a garden is a must during the summer months when flowers are in full-bloom and trees are topped with lush green leaves. It can transport you to a different time or place and allows you to reconnect with nature.

One of the prettiest gardens in the UK is in fact just over an hour’s drive from Greater Manchester. Created by the renowned garden designer Lady Arabella Lennox-Boyd, Gresgarth Hall Gardens sits in a valley on the edge of the Forest of Bowland, only five miles from Lancaster.

It features a huge variety of plants, shrubs and trees which are constantly changing throughout the year. As you walk around the gardens you’ll discover a new scene around every corner and you can easily spend a couple of hours at the 12 acre site.

READ MORE: The stunning Peak District waterfall ideal for a day trip from Manchester

At the centre stands Gresgarth Hall - Lady Lennox-Boyd’s own home - which is beautifully reflected in a large pond topped with lily pads. Although the house itself isn’t open to the public, it provides a stunning backdrop to the gardens.

Formal terraces descend from the house towards the pond which then give way to more-rustically designed areas, while creeping plants climb up the house so it seamlessly blends into its surroundings. Smooth, green lawns surrounded by herbaceous borders and clipped hedges sit alongside wilder bog gardens creating a space which is full of variety.

The gardens stretch out to the surrounding woodlands and you can follow paths through the trees. There are plenty of seats dotted throughout so lots of opportunities to sit back and take in the views. In 2020 the garden even won the Judges' Choice Award in Historic Houses Garden of the Year awards and it's easy to see why