If you’ve never been to Coton Manor Gardens it’s well worth finding a spot for it in your garden visits diary. 

It’s not too far away – nestled in the Northamptonshire countryside – and it won’t take you long to get around its 10 acre garden, but there are little vistas of gorgeousness around every turn that are definitely worth seeing.

The manor dates back to the 17th century but it was in the 1920s that the garden was established.  They gently slope away from the house through a series of terraces which allows for the creation of a variety of themed areas.  Even though they’re not very big the gardens do manage to accommodate a wide variety of flora and fauna and each season brings with it a different star attraction. We tootled along for the last weekend of their snowdrops and hellebore fortnight (22 February – 9 March) and although there wasn’t too much to see plant-wise outside of these two spring-time stalwarts they still managed to deliver an understated but spectacular show...

If our photos have inspired you to want to visit don’t despair about having missed the snowdrops and hellebores, Coton Manor is an English Country garden with all year round interest and next to show their faces will be their tulips and spring flower collections swiftly followed by their English bluebells – by all accounts one of the most spectacular bluebell woods in England - which, of course, are due to be looking their best at the end of April, early May.

Even though it’s still early for the rest of the garden it does have a lovely, restful feel to it with its water garden, lake, kitchen garden, yew and holly hedges.  Even the flamingos posed for a photo or two!  Coton Manor also has a plant nursery on site as well as a cafe and we can certainly recommend the lemon cake!