Gardens to visit in Oxfordshire
Experience Oxfordshire highlights lots of places to visit in this beautiful county. Oxfordshire also has wonderful architecture, traditional market towns and a rich history. Here is a round up of some of the best gardens to visit…
Blenheim Palace
When it comes to gardens in Oxfordshire that are worth visiting, the Formal Gardens at Blenheim Palace are probably the grandest and most famous of all. Belnheim is owned by the Churchill famil and is the seat of the Duke of Marlborough. The gardens that surround the Palace include an Italian Garden, Water Terraces and a Secret Garden. Blenheim has lots of events taking place throughout the year. A trip to the gardens in spring, summer or autumn is a treat for everyone. We have covered many of the events here, such as the Lights, Camera, Action film trail.
Waterperry Gardens
From spring through to autumn you can visit Waterperry Gardens. They are easily accessible from Oxford, which has good train connections to London. The gardens became famous as a result of Beatrix Havergal establishing her School of Horticulture for Ladies at the site. Beatrix Havergal later retired from her role and the school closed. However, gardens and a nursery remain. Waterperry Gardens is owned by the School of Philosophy and Economic Science, which is a charity that purchased the estate in 1971 from Beatrix Havergal, There are 20 acres of beautifully landscaped ornamental gardens that are worth seeing. There is also a garden shop on the site too.
Bruern Abbey
Towards the end of the summer, visitors to Oxfordshire had the chance to see the gardens at Bruern Abbey thanks to the National Garden Scheme. The former site of its namesake school that was founded by American lawyer Sterling Stover, Bruern Abbey then changed hands and is no longer owned by Sterling Stover, but it is now the home of Michael Bishop, Baron Glendonbrook. It returned to a private residence after the school outgrew the site. Keep an eye on events organised by the National Garden Scheme that enable visitors to admire the garden designed by Angel Collins.
Oxford Colleges
The gardens at New College and Merton College are also now always open to the public. It is worth keeping an eye on events for the forthcoming months though because there are opportunities for tours at certain times of the year. These gardens are full of medieval charm and discreet areas. For the winter months, there are lots of snowdrops. Meanwhile, the Oxford Botanic Garden is very famous and you can see over 5,000 different plant species at the UK’s oldest Botanic Garden.
Sulgrave Manor
Sulgrave Manor is busy preparing for a busy year in 2026, with renovation work ongoing. It is billed as the original home to the Special Relationships and Sulgrave Manor was built by the ancestors of George Washington. Sulgrave Manor is owned by an independent charity called The Sulgrave Manor Trust, which was set up by donors from both the UK and US. It has a history of uniting nations and there are various tours available of the house and the gardens.
Look back at our RHS Chelsea Flower Show coverage
