From stately acres in the grounds of historic homes to idyllic country plots and urban secrets there are gardens opening for the National Garden Scheme (NGS) across the country, for all to explore and to “fall in love with this Valentine’s Day” – and into the weekend beyond. February makes for good garden visiting on account of seeing the beautiful bare bones of (winter) gardens, along with the – much needed, uplifting blooms of snowdrops, crocus, aconites, iris, hellebores and early blossom.
Research conducted by the NGS in 2024, highlighted the multiple health benefits of getting out into a garden, in the dark days of winter. According to the survey, wellbeing significantly improved after visiting the gardens in winter, where visitors felt more relaxed, happy and less stressed.
For the 2025 Valentine’s Day weekend the NGS has some beautiful gardens lined-up, including Boughton House in Northamptonshire, the Dower House in Derbyshire, Cotswold Farm in Gloucestershire and Church Farm in Nottinghamshire.
“Visits to our snowdrop and spring flower gardens are always a popular start to the garden visiting season. Our research in 2024 gave us more of an insight into why that is. While existing research generally links the health benefits of garden visiting to the summer months when most gardens are at their abundant best, our latest research highlights the benefits of visiting in winter and, as well as comparing those to visiting in summer, shows how a winter visit helps combat the particular seasonal challenges that we all face at that time of year,” explained NGS Chief Executive, George Plumptre.
The NGS gives visitors unique access to over 3,300 private gardens in England, Wales, Northern Ireland and the Channel Islands, to raise funds for nursing and health charities. Thanks to the generosity of the garden owners, volunteers and visitors, the NGS has donated more than £74 million to their beneficiary charities, and in 2024 made donations of over £3.5 million. Founded in 1927, the NGS is now the most significant charitable funder of nursing in the UK, such as; Macmillan Cancer Support, Marie Curie, Hospice UK, Parkinson’ UK, Carers Trust and The Queen’s Nursing Institute.
A full list of all the gardens opening for the scheme in 2025 can be found here.