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Inspirational RHS Partner Gardens to visit in winter

Banish the winter blues and discover an abundance of seasonal planting inspiration in our selection of gardens to visit during the colder months

Thought winter was a quiet time in the plant world? Think again! Many RHS Partner Gardens have winter gardens and borders that use stems, barks, winter flowers and berries to create spectacular displays that inject cheer into even the coldest, darkest day. So why not wrap up, head out and get all the winter gardening inspiration you can shake a trowel at?

Here are a handful to add to your must-visit list this winter.

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The Bishop’s Palace and Gardens, Somerset

© James Cross
The contrast between herbaceous structure, conifers and shrubs is at its pick in winter
The Bishop’s Palace and Gardens is full of interest in winter, with some varieties of snowdrops and daffodils flowering in December.

Its winter borders, located at the edge of the South Lawn, were planted in 2018 with the aim of providing interest in the colder months, allowing flowers, scent, colour and foliage to flourish. Throughout winter, you can enjoy the bright stem colours of Cornus and the wonderfully scented flowers of several daphne, as well as Edgeworthia chrysantha ‘Red Dragon’ and Hamamelis selections. The textured blue evergreen foliage of Picea pungens ‘Glauca’ and P. glauca var. albertiana ‘Conica’, the distinctive shape of P. glauca var. albertiana ‘Conica’ and vibrant hydrangeas with deep red, plum, purple, pink and green mopheads all provide ideas that can be recreated at home.

In 2019, a new knot garden was created beneath the oriel window of the palace within the 14 acres of this RHS Partner Garden. Its design loosely mirrors the intricate patterns of the 17th century, with a modern interpretation of the planting styles while reflecting the portcullis crest visible in the oriel window above. Although grasses such as Festuca glauca ‘Casblue’ wouldn’t have featured historically, they provide an exciting contrast within the garden.

The other small winter garden, created in 2023, is located near the Well Pool. A small bank of Cornus sanguinea ‘Midwinter Fire’ displays bright gold, orange and red stems that brighten even the dullest day. Hamamelis × intermedia ‘Pallida’ produces sulphur-yellow scented flowers, while Edgeworthia chrysantha is a real jewel in January, with its silver-grey flower buds opening to pale yellow blooms. From January, Salix gracilistyla ‘Mount Aso’ bears bright pinkish-red catkins that complement the yellows and Helleborus × hybridus Harvington red has fantastic dark green foliage and large, deep red flowers.

  • Free access for RHS members in 2026: Monday and Friday, ​9 January–March, November and December; Friday only, April–October (excluding special events)

  • Find out more at Bishop’s Palace and Gardens

Waterperry Gardens, Oxfordshire

© Waterperry Gardens
The winter border was harmonised to entice visitors to explore while walking
The winter border at Waterperry Gardens brings colour and interest to the darkest months, from Crocus speciosus ‘Albus’ in October through to hellebores in March and April. This long, narrow area was unified by repeating plantings of Betula utilis ‘Snow Queen’ for its striking white bark, along with clipped balls of yew, Pittosporum tenuifolium ‘Tom Thumb’ and Buxus sempervirens ‘Elegantissima’ for structure.

Beneath these, winter-colour herbaceous plants such as Helleborus ×hybridus Harvington white create a shifting palette that moves from white to pink and deep plum as you walk along the border. For the winter-plant enthusiast, around 80 of Waterperry’s favourite snowdrop cultivars also flower here from December to March.

  • Free access for RHS members in 2026: Wednesday all year, daily in November

  • Find out more at Waterperry Gardens

Helmsley Walled Garden, Yorkshire

© Colin Dilcock
Helmsley’s herbaceous borders are left intact to provide a rich habitat for wildlife
The Helmsley Walled Garden is renowned for its herbaceous borders, which are left intact to provide a rich habitat for wildlife. This approach allows the garden to gently crumble over winter, offering shelter and food for various species, especially during frosty days. The garden’s design encourages a natural, unstructured environment that enhances the beauty of the landscape, making it a delightful space for both visitors and local wildlife.

  • Free access for RHS members in 2026: Wednesday in March–December; when open in October

  • Find out more at Helmsley Walled Garden

Felley Priory Gardens, Nottinghamshire

The topiary is the original framework from which Felley Priory Gardens was established
Felley Priory Gardens’ topiary is an outstanding feature in winter. Even when snow-covered, it is magnificent, with the bushes shaped into swans, castles and peacocks.

The start of the year heralds the arrival of 60 varieties of snowdrops. The collection is made up of the usual white snowdrops, as well as some rarer yellow types, including Galanthus ‘Wendy’s Gold’, G. nivalis (Sandersii Group) ‘Ray Cobb’, G. ‘Spindleson Surprise’ and G. ‘Primrose Warburg’.

  • Free access for RHS members in 2026: Tuesday and Wednesday, when open

  • Find out more at Felley Priory Gardens

Abbotsford, Scotland

© Abbotsford Trust
The garden at Abbotsford was designed by 19th-century novelist and poet Sir Walter Scott
At Abbotsford, herbaceous plants create height and structure and support biodiversity, with animals feeding on seeds and using the natural habitat for hibernation. The garden pavilion offers additional interest with its planting combinations, cabinet of curiosities, audio bench and children’s activities. The garden roses seem to bloom throughout the autumn and into early winter.

  • Free access for RHS members in 2026: Wednesday and Thursday, March–December

  • Find out more at Abbotsford

Denmans Garden, West Sussex

© Gwendolyn Van Paasschen
Denmans Garden is an award-winning, Grade II-registered historic garden
A winter stroll through Denmans Garden is as beautiful as it is at other times of year, full of colour and excellent structure. The garden features a variety of evergreen topiary, paper-white birches and silhouettes of stems and seedheads in the borders, creating a distinct winter landscape.

  • Free access for RHS members in 2026: Thursday all year, plus Sunday in March–December

  • Find out more at Denmans Garden

Stone Lane Gardens, Devon

© Stone Lane Gardens
The naturalistic design of Stone Lane Gardens is serenely peaceful
The National Collection of birch at Stone Lane Gardens really stands out in winter. Bereft of leaves, the skeletal structure of these beautiful trees is elegant and eye-catching. There’s a myriad of stem colours, from pure white through soft yellow, pink, copper, red and smooth chocolate brown, while tactile, peeling bark flutters in the breeze. Finish your visit by exploring the new arboretum at the top of the estate, where you will be rewarded with an astonishing view of Dartmoor.

  • Free access for RHS members in 2026: Friday, plus daily in February and October when open

  • Find out more at Stone Lane Gardens

Anglesey Abbey Gardens, Cambridgeshire

© Justin Minns, National Trust Images
Anglesey Abbey boasts a remarkable collection of more than 500 snowdrops
Anglesey Abbey has 114 acres of landscaped gardens to explore, with a renowned winter garden planted for its sensory qualities of scent, texture and bright colour throughout the colder months.

The winter garden was intentionally designed with plants that are at their best during winter. Its position takes full advantage of the low winter sun, which picks out the details of the unusual plants along the way. Plants such as Tilia Cordata ‘Winter Orange’ and Cornus Alba L. dazzle with orange and red.
 
Anglesey Abbey also hosts a collection of more than 500 individual varieties of snowdrop, some of which were discovered in the garden and are therefore named after people and places with links to Anglesey Abbey. Look out for the ‘snowdrop hotspot’ signs and enjoy seeing snowdrops along the Winter Walk, the Woodland Path and Jubilee Avenue from mid-January to February. You can also head to the Anglesey Abbey website to book onto a Snowdrop Collection tour. 

  • Free access for RHS members in 2026: when open

  • Find out more at Anglesey Abbey

Powis Castle & Garden, Wales

© Charlotte Ebrey, National Trust Images
A view of Powis Castle on a frosty morning
Statues of shepherds and shepherdesses sparkle in the frost as they dance on the Aviary Terrace of Powis Castle.

Edwardian apple trees in the formal garden show their age, with gnarled stems and branches revealed in winter. A walk through the formal woodland, the Wilderness, is also a totally different experience at this time of the year. The bare branches reveal beautiful vistas of the castle and terraces that are hidden away during the rest of the year. Plants may come and go, but the mesmerising views of the 13th-century castle and surrounding valleys remain the same. 

Head to the top terrace to see the morning mist rise across the Severn Valley, alongside vistas of the Great Lawn and Edwardian formal garden.

Please note: Opening times and RHS member access days may vary. Please check with the garden before you attend to avoid disappointment.

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