Castles in the North East are among a top 10 pick of locations said to boast some of the loveliest gardens in the country.
Chillingham Castle in Northumberland and Raby Castle in County Durham have made a list drawn up by Town & Country magazine of 'glorious gardens' which it suggests visiting this month.
With the easing of lockdown, the upmarket UK magazine has chosen 10 Visit Heritage properties for readers to enjoy this summer and, while the North East castles themselves might be better known by visitors, Town & Gardens' focus is very much on what their grounds have to offer.
The grade-one listed Chillingham Castle, which is renowned for its reputation of being haunted, has gardens created by royal designer Sir Jeffry Wyatville which include the longest herbaceous border in northern England and the magazine makes mention of their willow, alder and birch trees and lakes fed by seven springs and five streams.
It also highlights the 200 acres of Raby Castle deer park and its 18th Century walled garden designed by Thomas Wright which features sub-tropical fruits such as apricots and white Ischia fig - which was planted in 1786 - as well as its ornamental pond and rose gardens.
The grounds there also have red and fallow deer which have their fawns around June.
At a time that tourism site This is Durham makes mention of the "devastating blow the tourism and hospitality industry is suffering", the reopening of local attractions is being warmly welcomed.
Raby Castle's gardens and deer park are now open daily from 10am until 4 pm - see here - and Chillingham Castle is open from 11am until 4pm: see here.
The Town & Country list also includes two North Yorkshire locations - Castle Howard and Newby Hall.
Its other top gardens are those at Rousham House in Oxfordshire; Minterne House in Dorset; Kentwell Hall in Suffolk; Little Malvern Court in Worcestershire; Beaulieu in Hampshire and Hever Castle in Kent. For the full article see here.
