Four Seasons at Biddulph Grange

In Brief.

Biddulph Grange is a compact but diverse National Trust garden in Staffordshire. Like many gardens, it is open all year, so I decided to visit it in each of the four seasons, to see how it changes through the year, and to understand if recurring visits are worthwhile beyond the consistently excellent scones. An earlier blog in this series describes a one-off visit to the garden, and thus provides a more general review.

The house from the lake, 30th January 2023

What's Here and When?

Winter: The garden is not colourful in the winter, but many parts of the garden are as good at this time of year as any. There are several paths through wooded areas (Lyme Avenue, Wellington Avenue), and there are gardens defined more by their architecture than their plants (China, The Glen). Thus although there are areas that feature seasonal plants, the garden is still highly visitable for its landscaping when the predominant colours are green and brown.

The rhododendrons are coming into bloom, 24th April 2023

Spring: The problem with making seasonal visits is that the day you choose won't necessarily seem ideal.  In fact, I made two visits in the spring, one in late March and one in late April, as there wasn't much in bloom during the former.  However, even late April is a bit early for the Rhododendron Ground to be at its prime, though there was a good display of tulips.

Tulips in Dahlia walk, 24th April 2023

Summer: In summer there are a variety of borders in bloom, so the landscaping in various places includes colourful highlights, in particular close to the house.  

China in the summer, 20th July 2023

Autumn: The garden remains quite verdant in autumn, with a good proportion of plants retaining their leaves. There are, however, a variety of spaces with autumn colours, as various of the trees prepare to lose their leaves, for example in the Lyme Avenue. 

China in Autumn, 3rd November 2023.

Overall, Biddulph Grange seems to be a pretty visitable garden at any time of years.  The quirky individual areas retain their character, and although the winter necessarily has some empty flower beds, combining a visit to the pleasant coffee shop with a brisk walk around the garden is often going to be preferable to the alternative.

Practicalities.

Distance from Manchester Town Hall: 30 miles

Drive Time: 1hour 15 minutes.

Price: $$

Parking: Free onsite parking.

Food and Drink: There is a cafe, including outside seating, that serves typical National Trust fare, so give priority to the scones.

Retail therapy: There is a compact gift shop at the entrance, with assorted gift food, some books and accessories, as well as a collection of plants for sale. 

Child Friendly: The garden itself has various places to explore and clamber around, and there is a woodland play area.

Toilets: Yes.

Do it justice in: 2 hours.

Inside-Outside: 10:90

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