June is my favourite month of Summer as rose season is in full bloom and I get an excuse to visit all the beautiful gardens. Roses come in a variety of colours, have a delicate scent that lingers in the air and when paired with a stately home, they’re something I look forward to seeing all year. If you want some recommendations on where to see the best display of roses, then make sure you check out the locations below.
Haddon Hall, Derbyshire
If I had to be pushed for an answer of where my favourite rose garden is, I’d have to say it’s Haddon Hall. The Tudor hall surrounded by Elizabethan gardens makes every corner of Haddon Hall, not only full of history, but utterly beautiful too. The walls are donned with an array of roses in a variety of colours, making it hard to pick a favourite spot of the gardens.
My one recommendation would be to always have a look out the windows, especially on warm summer days when they’re open as you’ll often see views you wouldn’t be able to see otherwise.
Bowood House and Gardens, Wiltshire
Bowood House and Gardens has been on my list of places to visit for a few years now and it did not disappoint. The Georgian house itself is beautiful with big opens windows and a manicured Italian inspired terraced garden out the front, but it was the roses I came to see. They were well looked after and the gardens had roses in every colour – yellow, red, pink and white!
Whilst I loved Bowood’s array of flowers, I was also surprised with how vast their parkland was. You can not only visit the roses, but also go for a walk around their lake on a beautiful summers day. If you time your visit right, you can also get over to Bowood’s woodland gardens which has rhododendrons in every colour you can imagine – perfect for a relaxing day out.
One of the stand out roses of Bowood gardens was a delicate pink rose from David Austin called ‘Gentle Hermione’, the scent could be smelt all the way around the gardens and I knew I had to ask the gardener what rose it was.
Kiftsgate Court Gardens, Gloucestershire
On the edge of the Cotswolds lies Kiftsgate Court Gardens, a garden created by three generations of women gardeners. I was absolutely floored by how beautiful this spot was as the pink roses were out in full bloom as soon as you entered the main part of the gardens.
There’s lots to explore including modern art installations and their wild garden, but their rose border and terrace were the star of the show. Donned with an array of pink and red roses, you felt like you were stepping into a secret garden.
They even have a rose called the “Kiftsgate” rose which I didn’t manage to see this time as it blooms around early to mid July, but Kiftsgate has claims that it has the largest ‘Kiftsgate rose’ in England!
Hever Castle, Kent
Hever Castle in Kent is known for being the childhood home of Anne Boleyn with the Boleyn apartment as well as the castle itself with the mote around it to see. I’ve previously seen Hever Castle when the daffodils and cherry blossom were out and I also now have plans to see the tulips next spring, but it was the roses that I think would be hard to beat.
I visited as part of their ‘Hever in Bloom’ event running from late June to early July. They have over 5,000 roses on display in their beautiful walled gardens and depending on when you visit, different roses will be in bloom. Even though I explored as much of the gardens as possible, I’m still not convinced I explored it all which means a return visit is definitely on the cards! There’s rambling roses, climbers and scrubs, so you get flowers at every height making Hever Castle a feast for the eyes in the summer.
Penshurst Place, Kent
Last on the list is a gardens that I personally think are underrated and I haven’t heard much about. Penshurst Place in Kent is only 15 minutes down the road from Hever Castle which means you could get to visit the two gardens in a day.
The manor house itself built in the 14th century is a sight to behold, so it’s a strong statement to make to say I think their roses may just come out on top when it comes to choosing my favourite corner of Penshurst Place. Hidden away in their spacious gardens, lies a series of pergolas lined with climbing roses in both white and pink varieties. With benches underneath, you can seriously see yourself getting lost in a book here one afternoon. I wouldn’t suggest loosing yourself too much as there’s still lots more roses to explore in the gardens!
They’ve also got a beautiful peony border which comes in bloom a little bit before the roses, so worth a visit if you’re in the area in mid to late May.