Grounds and Gardens at Lotherton

The beautiful Edwardian gardens cover an impressive eight acres and include a walled garden with rose beds and herbaceous borders featuring scented flowers, creepers and perennials.

Edwardian Gardens

The gardens cover eight acres and were designed as a series of enclosed gardens by Mrs Gwendolen Gascoigne between 1893 and 1914, with few changes up to her death in 1949.

The old Walled Garden was transformed into an “old-fashioned” garden filled with rose beds and herbaceous borders with scented flowers, tender creepers and perennials. The William and Mary Garden was built with a sunken pond and plant walls.

Part of the Victorian shrubbery was made into a rock garden, with winding sunken paths and a hard tennis court was laid out overlooking the pasture. Today, the gardens are being slowly restored.

Restoring our Gardens

We are delighted to work with local volunteer organisation Garforth in Bloom. They are currently helping us to restore the terrace garden which is the area at the back of the Drawing Room, with the Peony Priest statue.

The garden was originally planted as a ‘Scottish Garden’ by Gwendolen Gascoigne in the early 1900s. Her love of Scotland was brought down to Yorkshire in the form of heaths as ground cover plants and also included Winter-flowering Jasmine and large mixed-coloured Antirrhinums.

You can find out more about Garforth in Bloom on their website.
 

The Estate

Beyond the formal gardens, you will find woodlands and the former farmland now made up of the orchard, deer park and open grassy fields for picnics and play.

Orchard

Planted in 2005 in partnership with the Northern Fruit Group, there are 109 varieties of trees, including many from the Yorkshire region. A meandering path through the trees gets you close to the beautiful blossom in the spring time and the apples at harvest time. Look out for Harvest Days in the Autumn.

Deer Park

Take some time out to gaze at our red deer herd grazing in the parkland in this idyllic and peaceful spot. 

Our herd of red deer live in the old ridge and furrow fields now managed as parkland. From the Deer Hide you can watch (and hear!) the rut in the autumn as the stag gathers the hinds (females) together, then look out for the babies born from late May.

You will also find special educational and interactive displays for children, plus this is the perfect place for break with our undercover picnic area.

Play Areas

With exciting adventure playgrounds, beautiful woodland walks and a peaceful spot to gaze at our resident red deer, Lotherton offers a full day out for all ages.

Visit the popular adventure playground which has been designed for younger children (up to 8) with climbing frames, zip wire, swings, roundabouts and plenty of seating close to the Stable Courtyard.

Additionally, older children can enjoy the Woodland Play Area. This picnic and play area offers great fun and exercise in a woodland setting. Why not have a race on our new twin zip-wires?

Lotherton is a great place to let off steam and everyone can make use of our play fields. Feel free to bring your own games, fly a kite or have a kick about with your friends and family.