Explore the garden at Shugborough

Visitors playing in the garden at Shugborough Estate, Staffordshire. — Family exploring the terrace Gardens | © National Trust Images/Rob Stothard

Take a stroll around the gardens at Shugborough once a centre of innovation, the walled garden, formal gardens and arboretum are filled with seasonal highlights, here's a few top tips on what to look out for.

No Mow May | Let it Bloom June

Throughout May and June Shugborough's garden team ditch the mower and let grasses bloom across informal areas of the gardens, only mowing in paths. As the grasses and wildflowers grow meadows are formed, and create a feast for pollinators. No Mow May is an initiative started by PlantLife and now organisations and individuals get involved every year, helping increase biodiversity of wildflowers like the Great Burnett. Here at Shugborough we leave areas such as the Doric Lawn growing, and find that this also helps reduce the negative impacts, and recover after reapeated flooding.

We do still mow in some areas such as the formal terraces or walled garden. These areas are chosen to help visitors access these popular areas, and to stay in keeping with the historic sense of place.

This year to celebrate Big Green Week you can get involved in Gardeners Talks, visiteering opportunities and childrens wildlife trails.

What's on?

Visit the Gardens

Walled Garden

Soak up the scents, sights and sounds of Shugborough's historic Walled Garden. This summer, the walled garden is bursting to life with the start of a fruitful summer, with cut flowers, vegetables and fruits. Originally built in 1805 Shugborough's Walled Garden was a centre of excellence, championing innovation and new technologies. Today we continue this legacy through innovative planting designs of seasonal vegetables and flower borders. From plot to plate, you can enjoy a taste of Shugborough at home, by picking up some fresh produce from our produce stand in the walled garden and plant centre.

The garden terraces at Shugborough Estate, Staffordshire | © The garden terraces in August at Shugborough Estate, Staffordshire The garden terraces in August at Shugborough Estate, Staffordshire 1760433 Restrictions ©National Trust Images/Paul Harris

Terraces and Formal Gardens

Find the formal terrace gardens running alongside the river Sow, and with views over to the Arboretum, the gardens are abundant with signs of the new season. With wildflowers lining the beds and river bank it is the perfect space to relax and spot birds including White Egrets. In the terrace gardens you'll be able to spot some of the monuments that pepper the Shugborough landscape including the 'ruin', as well as newly designed gardens such as the Orangery garden and the Serenity Garden. Continuing Shugborough's long history as a centre of training, these gardens are designed by apprentice gardeners as they learn their craft here on the estate.

The boathouse at Shugborough Estate, Staffordshire | © ©National Trust Images/David Goacher

Arboretum

A place of peace and tranquility the Arboretum can be found across the red or blue bridge. Once the private gardens of Patrick Lichfield, the walk continues to be curated in his vision. With over 150 oak trees planted from acorns collected throughout a life of global travel, and taking us on an international journey from east to west there are plenty of unusual trees to spot, including the Cork Oak and impressive Giant Redwoods. At the east end of Arboretum you'll spot the Chinese House, and at the west you'll spot the boat house, complete with weeping willow and bright bulbs.

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Take nothing but pictures

During your visit, please don’t take any foliage home with you. Support us in our efforts to keep our countryside secure from the spread of serious plant diseases. Because of this, we ask you to take nothing but photos and memories. Please share your photos with us on Facebook and Instagram.