| By

If you’re ever in the Lake District and in need a nice little garden to visit, Rydal Hall’s garden, just north of Ambleside is a lovely trip. Not to be mistaken with Rydal Mount and Gardens, the home of British poet William Wordsworth, Rydal Hall is actually a hotel but it has a great little tea-room, a forest of sheep and a couple of gardens to explore. Even better, it’s free – ideal if you’re on a budget (There is a suggested donation of £3, but if you don’t want to pay, show your patronage by sitting beside the gently babbling waterfall and stuff yourself with tea and scones instead).

The main garden of Rydal Hall, and the one that the architectural building overlooks, is the formal garden. As you might expect for the Lake District, the crisp green lawn, manicured beds and fountain, all backed by the region’s glorious mountains, is quite the thrill.

Meanwhile, the quiet garden centres itself around a couple of pools connected by a little stream which, in turn, leads down to a larger river. It was early spring when I went, with lots of bulbs and beautiful euphorbia’s brightening up the borders around the pond. Several young gunnera spikes were beginning to form so I suspect that, in the summer, it has an altogether more tropical ambiance.

Above the tea room you’ll find a woodland grove, leading to a community vegetable garden that’s also open to wander around – unless it’s still April, in which case you can’t get in! Still, there’s some nice sheep to say hello to!

If you have a couple of hours to spare near Ambleside, I definitely recommend visiting Rydal Hall’s garden. Their not huge, and they’re not grand, but they’re the perfect way to spend a moment or two before enjoying a pot of tea and a scone.



