The UK's best gardens to visit in 2022

It may not be spring yet - but after two years of the pandemic, our thoughts are turning to better times, and all the places we'll go (we hope) when the weather warms up.

The good news is, Britain is full of beautiful spots - and who doesn't love a gorgeous garden to wander around as the sun shines?

Specialists Easy Garden Irrigation have now assessed the UK’s most popular gardens, using their official websites to look at the size, heritage and percentage of excellent reviews on Tripadvisor, to create a list of the top 10 best gardens in the UK to visit this year. Why not see them all?

1 Levens Hall

Situated in the Kent valley near the village of Levens, Levens Hall is home to a spectacular 9,500 acres of scenic gardens that have been almost unchanged since the 17th century, making it one of the biggest gardens available to visit.

From rose gardens and fine lawns to wildflower meadows and willow labyrinths, Levens Hall is sure to please - and the public agrees, with 68% rating it 'excellent' on Tripadvisor. Levens Hall is also a photographer's dream, and currently has over 550 Instagram posts under the location’s hashtag.

2 Arundel Castle gardens

Claiming its title as one of the oldest gardens in the UK, Arundel Castle has 1,000 years of heritage and 40 acres of English and tropical gardens for the public to visit. the perfect location for passionate gardeners, with plenty to inspire, including the warm glasshouses full of chillies, grapes and lemons as well as the tranquil Fitzalan Chapel's White Garden.

The gardens have received an impressive 2,492 'excellent' reviews on Tripadvisor.

Read more: Zoopla's 10 most-viewed homes of 2022 so far

3 Windsor Castle’s East Terrace Garden

Windsor Castle is well known for its royal residents, but the East Terrace Garden is now open to the public. Created in 1824, the East Terrace Garden stretches across 13 acres of land and contains approximately 3,500 rose bushes, each full of colour and scent.

A huge 70% of the garden’s Tripadvisor reviews are excellent, which explains why the castle and gardens welcome over 104,000 visitors a year and have generated almost 400,000 posts on Instagram.

4 Anglesey Abbey

This National Trust property is situated north of Cambridge in the village of Lode and offers 887 years of history for visitors to discover. The 114 acres of garden receive over 300,000 visitors a year which has generated 65% of excellent Tripadvisor reviews.

No surprise, with the beautiful, seasonal plantings all year round. Today, the garden team is made up of eight gardeners and over 25 volunteers that care for the plants and grounds.

5 Mottisfont Abbey

This historical estate in Hampshire has 1,600 acres of land. From its beautiful winter garden and pathways of spring bulbs to early summer roses and classic autumnal colour, this is a garden worth visiting throughout the seasons to fully appreciate it.

The garden carries 800 years of history, and is home to many fine native of trees. Approximately 200,000 people visit Mottisfont yearly and its gardens currently have 56% 'excellent' Tripadvisor reviews.

6 Powis Castle

This beautiful Welsh garden is overflowing with over 340 years of history. Its impressive 3,000 acres of land includes spectacular hedges, dancing statues and fragrant spring bulbs.

The landscaped surroundings have earned 68% 'excellent' reviews on Tripadvisor from many happy visitors.

7 Stourhead Gardens

Located in Wiltshire with a lake at the centre, Stourhead gardens have one of the finest landscapes in the south west, and see over 400,000 visitors a year.

A tactical planting scheme creates a beautiful rust-shaded palette in late August and makes a great spot for a scenic autumnal walk. Over 1,700 people agree, leaving an 'excellent' review on Tripadvisor after visiting.

8 Sculpture Garden at Farleys House & Gallery

With 86% of excellent reviews on Tripadvisor, this Sculpture Garden, tucked away in the Sussex countryside, comes out on top for the highest number of good reviews from its visitors.

On the smaller side, it covers just 3 acres of land - but don't let that put you off, it's the perfect place to relax, picnic and enjoy fabulous views of the South Downs.

Read more: How to make an indoor garden

9 Bodnant Gardens

This is one of the finest gardens in Wales, with a beautiful National Trust property overlooking the Conwy Valley towards the Carneddau mountains. The gardens are home to botanical collections from around the globe and see over 106,000 visitors yearly, which has earned them a strong 82% of excellent Tripadvisor reviews over the years.

Home to many exotic plants, Bodnant Gardens is also a location that's hugely instagrammable, and has been snapped over 20,000 times under the location’s hashtag.

10 Royal Botanic Garden

Another one of the best botanical gardens can be found in Edinburgh.

The Royal Botanic Garden receives an impressive 450,000+ visitors yearly and is located just a mile away from the city centre. The garden offers fantastic views of the capital's skyline, including Edinburgh Castle and accommodates 35,000 different types of plant species over 62 acres of land.

It’s also popular online, with over 26,000 tagged posts on Instagram.

Watch: National Trust gardening tips: Planting bulbs