_Discover Norfolk's National Trust Summer Gardens

Early summer is the perfect time to reconnect with nature’s quiet rhythms. As borders burst into colour, Norfolk's National Trust gardens in summer invite visitors to slow down and linger a little longer.

Take in the sights and scents of flowers in full bloom and pause for a moment finding a peaceful escape from the pace of everyday life.

Visitors can while away hours in the sunshine, or showers, meandering along tree-lined paths, through formal gardens and historic parterres, or basking in the warmth of walled kitchen gardens. Shady orchards are home to heritage varieties of fruit trees, and wildflower meadows buzz with life. Enjoy a solo stroll or share the moment with family and friends and pack a picnic for a full day out.

Each garden is looked after by a team of the charity’s staff and volunteers and is planted to not only add colour and interest, but support wildlife and nature too.

To celebrate the colourful, quiet days of early summer, the National Trust has pulled together a list of the best summer gardens to explore now in Norfolk.

To find out more visit: Gardens in Norfolk | National Trust

Here are the details for the best summer gardens in Norfolk...

Felbrigg Hall, Gardens and Estate

• A pretty, walled garden with double flower borders, vegetable beds, trained fruit trees and an octagonal dovecote
• Squire’s Pantry Tearoom, Giftshop and Second-Hand Bookshop open daily
• Blue Badge parking and drop off point. Accessible toilets. Pathways around the estate are a mix of gravel, compacted earth and grass

Felbrigg is a hidden gem. Tucked away In the north Norfolk countryside, the gardens offer an escape from the hustle and bustle of the summer season providing several areas of interest including the renowned Walled Garden boasting double boarders, herb beds and resident chickens. The Baccus Garden with its drought resistant borders and interesting sculptures. The West Garden is home to an 18th Century Orangery, and the estate boasts an impressive 520 acres of woodland, surrounded by rolling parkland, a lake and waymarked paths.

The parkland is open from dawn to dusk daily. The Walled Garden is open daily from 10am until 4pm with last entry at 3:30pm. Felbrigg Hall is open from Wednesday to Saturday from 12pm until 4pm with last entry at 3pm. Standard admission charges apply; members enter for free. Felbrigg Hall, Gardens and Estate | Norfolk | National Trust

Oxburgh Estate

• Beautiful, moated Tudor manor house in the midst of the scenic Norfolk countryside featuring a Victorian garden, kitchen garden and orchard, wilderness area and picturesque estate walks
• Tearoom, Pantry Cafe, Courtyard Giftshop open daily
• Blue Badge parking and drop-off point. Accessible toilets. Some gravel pathways and two steep slopes in garden. Manual wheelchairs and Mountain Trike all-terrain wheelchairs available to borrow on arrival

Wander around the Victorian Kitchen Garden and discover what’s growing this season as well as what's in bloom in Oxburgh’s newly restored Peach House Border. Enjoy the structure of the walled Orchard which is full of heritage fruit trees, experience the vibrant colours and seasonal scents of the pollinator-friendly Herbaceous Border overlooking the hall or venture further afield to enjoy the shade and tranquillity of less formal areas, The Wilderness and My Lady’s Wood.

The gardens and parkland are open daily from 9:30am until 5pm and Oxburgh Hall is open daily from 10:30am until 3pm with last entry at 2:15pm. Standard admission charges apply; members enter for free. Oxburgh Estate | Norfolk | National Trust

Blickling Estate, Norfolk

• 55 acres of formal garden with ancient yews, parterre designed by Norah Lindsay, a productive walled kitchen garden and sweeping lake views
• Stables Café, shop and second-hand bookshop open daily
• Disabled parking, powered mobility scooters and wheelchairs available to borrow, accessible toilets and changing places

In summer, Blickling’s gardens burst into life with rich colour, historic charm and beautifully curated planting with the Parterre at the centre. Redesigned in the 1930s by renowned gardener Norah Lindsay, its original character remains, showcasing her painterly approach to planting. Four expansive beds display carefully graduated hues, shifting from pinks, blues, mauves and whites near the house to striking yellows and oranges further east, all framed by fragrant, seasonal roses that peak throughout the summer months. A softer, more understated long border along the southern wall provides balance and tranquillity from June to September.

Beyond the Parterre, visitors can explore Temple Walk and the wilderness, where structured pathways wind through geometric arrangements of trees and wild grasses, offering welcome shade on warmer days. Seasonal activity brings added interest, with the garden team beginning the meticulous trimming of ancient yew hedges in August along the main drive, before shaping the distinctive Parterre acorns.

The Walled Garden reaches its height in July and August, brimming with produce grown using ‘no dig’ methods, including a wide array of fruits and vegetables. Pollinator-friendly planting draws bees from the orchard hives, while vibrant dahlias illuminate the borders. After exploring, visitors can unwind at the Stables café, browse the shop for plants inspired by Norah Lindsay, or take some fresh produce home from the donation station outside the estate barn.

The gardens are open daily 10am to 5pm, last entry at 4.30pm. Standard admission charges apply; free for National Trust members. To find out more visit: Blickling Estate | Norfolk | National Trust

Sheringham Park

• The Wild Garden is home to an array of trees and plants, from the large ever-green rhododendrons which provide year-round structure and scale to the garden, to enormous Scots pines and gnarly ancient oaks
• The enchanting Bower Garden is ideal for children and families to explore, with a sensory garden, wildlife pond, and fairy doors adding a sprinkle of magic
• Courtyard Café and second-hand bookshop open daily
• Powered mobility vehicles and a wheelchair are available to borrow

The Wild Garden is rightly known for its nationally important collection of rhododendrons and azaleas which reach their colourful peak in late May. Once their abundant blooms have faded, the largely evergreen plants continue to provide the garden with an impressive structure and scale year-round, which offers visitors glorious views of the coastline.

There are some special trees in the Wild Garden, including one of the biggest Scots pines outside of Scotland. Elsewhere, the larger of two snowdrop trees is one of the tallest specimens in England. A number of veteran oaks dotted along the Main Drive may well have acted as boundary markers in the past. Many of the beech trees are well over 200 years old, including a wandering beech that is tucked away to the side of one of Repton's glimpse points.

The Bower Garden, on the left-hand side of the main drive, is a fantastic place for adults and children to explore, discover and have fun. Here visitors will find a sensory garden full of plants to awaken the senses – take in the smell of lavender and rosemary, feel the texture of different leaves, look at the spiky structure of the sea holly and listen to the leaves rustling in the breeze. There is also a wildflower meadow area, full of different flower and grass species with an insect hotel nestled at the centre, and a wildlife pond. Sometimes newts are spotted hiding, and on a warm spring or summer's day, dragonflies are on the wing and laying their eggs on the surface of the water.

Sheringham Park is open daily from dawn to dusk. Car parking charges apply; free for National Trust members. To find out more visit: Sheringham Park | Norfolk | National Trust