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Crook Hall Gardens

RHS Partner Garden

Free access for RHS Members when open

Sidegate
Durham
Co. Durham
DH1 5SZ
England

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Free RHS Member days
When open

About the garden

On a visit to Crook Hall Gardens, visitors can find a series of interlinked gardens, each with its own unique character. Intriguing paths lead to blooming borders, secluded walled gardens, an orchard and a tranquil moat pool. Views of Durham Cathedral serve as a reminder that this green oasis is close to the heart of the city.

A year-round feast for the senses, hellebores ease us out of winter, joined by snowdrops as an early sign of spring. Bright splashes of anemones, cyclamen and crocus soon follow. In the shelter of the walled garden, a large magnolia puts on a magnificent display of flowers, while a frothy mass of blossom makes the orchard an unmissable sight.

From June, phlox, oriental poppies and ox-eye daisies vie for attention in the walled gardens. The maze, a living puzzle planted primarily with cotoneaster, begins September with dark green leaves, soon adorned with red berries that develop over the coming weeks. Elsewhere, beautyberry (Callicarpa) showcases its vivid purple berries, while autumn crocuses provide unexpected pops of colour.

Facilities

  • Dogs welcome
  • Parking
  • Refreshments
  • Toilets

Key features

  • Pond or lake
  • Cottage planting
  • Wildlife planting and features

Get involved

The RHS is the UK’s gardening charity, helping people and plants to grow - nurturing a healthier, happier world, one person and one plant at a time.