Beningbrough

About the garden

Owned by

National Trust

In the Yorkshire countryside between York and Harrogate sits Beningbrough, a historic hall and art gallery surrounded by gardens and parkland. Discover the eight acres of formal gardens including a two-acre walled kitchen garden, herbaceous borders and newly designed areas. Each shines at different times of the year, giving visitors a reason to return. Historic trees and wildlife pockets add to the year-round appeal and RHS members can visit for free any day the garden is open.

Beningbrough is not a place where time stands still; previous owners have shaped every aspect of the estate, and this continues today. Working alongside the National Trust, RHS Chelsea gold winner Andy Sturgeon has developed a long-term vision for the garden; to refresh, improve and, in some areas, reinvent the formal gardens. This began with the planting of 300,000 spring bulbs and the completion of the first new garden, the Pergola, where visitors can now sit under oak beams in the shade of white wisteria. 

From summer 2024, visitors can explore the newly created Mediterranean Garden and watch as it develops and grows over the coming months and years. It has been created to inspire ideas for gardens of the future in the ever-changing weather patterns we face.

The herbaceous borders give a different feel as the seasons progress, with spiky bursts of colour from alliums under the pear in spring, to subtle pastels in the double border in early summer, through to the vibrancy and late colour in the south border. The walled garden is the place to see how the edibles are growing, at its best around blossom and harvest time.

Distant views seen between Yorkshire champion trees and over the parkland offer glimpses of the river and countryside beyond, perfect for a walk and wildlife spotting by the river.