The Gardens of Coton Manor

My first ever visit to Coton Manor Garden was on Bank Holiday Monday, 31st August 2026. Within minutes of arrival, we were greeted by a heavy downpour, conditions fairly typical for any Bank Holiday weekend in the UK! Normally, this would 'dampen' our spirits, but after the long summer heatwave we have experienced, it was a blessing and much needed. A couple of sunny spells allowed a quick walk around the terraced areas of the garden adjacent to the house, but with another heavy shower, an early lunch at the Stableyard Cafe made perfect sense. Once fed and watered, the weather improved... time to explore!

Beautiful Gardens
Work on the garden at Coton Manor began in the 1920s in what had been fields around and below the house: terraces, borders, a rose garden, a water garden and orchards were created. The garden was further extended in the 1950s, and a series of streams and pools provides space for a collection of wildfowl.

The garden was first opened to the public in 1969, and since then a herb garden and bog garden have been added.  Beyond the garden is a Bluebell wood and a wildflower meadow.

In 2019, the gardens were voted as ‘The Nation’s Favourite Garden’ in a poll conducted by the English Garden magazine in conjunction with the National Garden Scheme.

A Garden Full of Delights
Despite the extended heatwave this year, the flower borders at Coton Manor still put on a show, with Penstemon, Pelargonium, Dahlia, Rudbeckia, Salvias, Kniphofia and Heleniums grabbing most of the attention, while many specimen trees help retain a sense of intimacy.

Feathered Friends
As you wander around the gardens, you won't miss the bright pink Flamingoes that most visitors delight in seeing, but for me, the real characters were the lovely Fulvous Whistling Ducks (Dendrocygna bicolor) and attractive Mille Fleur Barbu d’Uccle bantam chickens.

A Grade II Listed Manor House
Coton Manor was all but destroyed the night before the Battle of Naseby in 1645. The manor, which dates back to at least 1086 (mentioned in the Domesday Book), was later rebuilt as a more modest farmhouse in 1662. Purchased by the Bryant family in the 1920's, the new owners set to work rebuilding the Manor House whilst developing the award-winning gardens we see today. The Manor House itself remains the private home of the Bryant family and is not open to the public.

Visiting Coton Manor
The Stableyard Cafe serves lovely homemade lunches when the garden is open. The plant nursery has a good selection of plants for sale; many are propagated here and can also be found in the garden.

The garden is open to the public five days a week from the beginning of April to the end of September every year. If you are thinking of visiting, do check the Coton Manor website first.