Introduction
Holehird Gardens is the home of the Lakeland Horticultural Society.
Holehird is 10 acres of volunteer-run stunning gardens managed by Lakeland Horticultural Society and is an award winning RHS Partner Garden. The garden has views over Lake Windermere and the Lakeland Fells.
Features include a Walled Garden with Herbaceous boarders, spring bulbs and island beds and 6 National Plant Collections.
- Visitor Access, Directions & Contacts
Telephone
015394 46008Website
https://holehirdgardens.org.ukAccess contact details
The Gardens are open to visitors every day, from dawn to dusk. Visitor Information is normally manned by volunteers from 10am to 4pm daily, from April to October.
Directions
On the A592, 1 mile from Windermere. If approaching from the north, do not follow satnav but follow brown tourist signs.
- History
19th Century
In 1885, the Manchester industrialist John Macmillan Dunlop laid out formal gardens and had the present Walled Garden built with a range of heated greenhouses against the north wall.
The Groves family moved to Holehird in 1897 and continued the development of the grounds and garden, designing a rock garden and introducing many water features, including damming streams to form the tarn below the Mansion.
20th Century
In 1945, Henry Leigh Groves gave the estate to the County Council, to be held in trust 'for the purpose of the better development of the health, education and welfare services of the county of Westmorland'.
The Mansion has been leased to the Leonard Cheshire Foundation since 1961 and is still run as a home for the disabled.
In 1980, the Lakeland Horticultural Society took over the Walled Garden which at that time was being used as a tree nursery.
21st Century
In 2017, a new Walled Garden Display House was opened.
- Features & Designations
Designations
Features
- Walled Garden
- Description: In 2017, a new Walled Garden Display House was opened.
- Herbaceous Border
- Key Information
Open to the public
Yes