Keep in mind this is not a one-day visit to see all areas of Alnwick Gardens.
“Cushwoosh” went the bench swing as I admired the Taihaku cherry trees it sat amongst. I honestly did not know that this specific cherry orchard was the biggest of its kind in England. The beauty at Alnwick Gardens is not just in the fact it’s a garden but its beauty lies in the fact that it was built by a community. The place is so obviously loved and cared for and young and old alike can enjoy the gardens!
The fountains display changes on the hour and the digger toys parked at the bottom of the fountain give a happy family feel to the place. In fact, the place is so friendly that the ducks feel free to mingle amongst tables of guests at a cafe. On the day I visited Amwick Gardens the theme of the day was pirates. It’s a pity that Jack Sparrow didn’t turn up, but crocodiles, sharks and skeletons did!
Taken by Alexandra Negoita
To complete the scary pirate mischief of my day I visited the poison gardens. A must-see experience for all in my opinion. The staff will remind you that your hands must refrain from touching these plants at all times. The most shocking aspect of the poison garden is that most of the plants we have come across in our own gardens and have on occasion added to our food can have deadly consequences.
At the time of my visit, we couldn’t access the woodland walk. I was able to visit the tree house. It is a tree house like no other and fully deserves its awards. There are two restaurants in the tree house itself and the potting shed. Imagine eating a meal with tree-top views and watching your children play in the biggest play park of its kind.
Whilst the garden is not flat ground there are many entrances and exits to each section of the garden the can be accessed by those wheelchairs and pushchairs. The staff in all eateries are happy to move chairs and tables whenever access is needed. Whilst not specifically trained for autism or dementia staff are supportive of any guest. The disabled toilets are all clean and accessible. Within the Alnwick café, there is a lift down to the accessible toilet. The tree house café is dark inside but one can eat indoors or outdoors.
The treehouse is amazing with a soft incline ramp up to the top and both cafes are accessible to you at the top. Whilst there are no braille menus staff are happy to read the menu to you. For those who need a quiet experience in the garden, they have their quiet hours on Sunday between 9am-10am. Prebooking is available. Those with vision impairments can remain safe as all water features are safe.
For more activities in Alnwick, please click here.
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