Save on visits to more than 3,000 of the UK's most spectacular gardens

A family could save more than £80 on a trip to Blenheim Palace, as well as visiting gardens that are never normally open to the public, with the National Garden Scheme.

The scheme, which has been running since 1927, includes both open days to major attractions and private visits ‘by arrangement’ to smaller gardens.

At Blenheim Palace Gardens' 10 May Open Day, you’ll pay £10 for an adult ticket, instead of the normal £31 for a garden ticket.

Across the country, there are gardens, small and large – normally never open to the public – that you can visit for free.

Gardens by arrangement

In addition to the Open Days, hundreds of private owners have agreed to allow visits to their gardens by appointment.

These include the South London garden of the chair of the National Garden Scheme and other small gardens around the country.

Find a garden near you on the National Garden Scheme website.

London's Open Gardens

London has its own open days on 6-7 June. These include access to garden squares that are normally only accessible to residents in Notting Hill, Kensington and Chelsea.

Some ‘inns of court’, where lawyers have studied and worked for centuries, also have gardens open.

There are roof gardens, with views across the capital at the high-rise 25 Cannon Street, directly opposite St Paul’s, and Battersea Roof Gardens, on top of the former power station. 

To visit Battersea Roof Gardens, you’ll need to enter a ballot (date TBC).

Find a garden to visit in London.

Scotland’s Open Gardens

While the National Garden Scheme covers England, Wales and Northern Ireland, Scotland has its own scheme.

It includes 457 gardens, from castle grounds to small family plots. 

Find a garden to visit in Scotland.

When can you visit Hampton Court Gardens for free?

Normally, if you want to visit Hampton Court’s famous gardens, you’d need to pay £29 for a general admission ticket.

However, on the dates below, you can wander round gardens created for Henry VIII for free, including the Great Fountain Garden, Pond Gardens and Privy Garden.

If you want to visit the maze or the children’s The Magic Garden, you’ll still need to buy a general admission ticket.

• 14 and 15 March
• 9 and 10 May
• 12 and 13 September
• 10 and 11 October
• 21 and 22 November
• 26 December (The Wilderness Garden only)

The UK’s best gardens

Last year, we asked 2,489 members of the Which? Connect panel about their favourite gardens.

Here’s how they rated more than 60 of the country’s best gardens in our survey.

Most of them are open year-round.