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Garden Name: Howick Hall
Last Modified: 14/01/2010
Garden ID: 0233

pic: 0233_HowickHall.jpg

Owner: Howick Trustees Ltd
Address:
Howick Estate Office
Alnwick

Postcode: NE66 3LB
County: Northumberland

tel: 01665-577285/577191
fax: 
website: www.howickhallgardens.org.uk
email: estateoffice {at} howickuk.com

Features: 
A new arboretum created from wild seed collected in China, Japan, the Himalayas, North America and Europe will open in 2006. Many labelled trees and shrubs and three new woodland walks of varying lengths to be enjoyed.
Rated by BBC Gardeners' World magazine as one of the top 5 coastal gardens in the country

English Heritage Grade:
II

Opening Times:
Festival of Snowdrops; 6th Feb - 1st Mar
Open: Early Feb - Mid-Nov
Winter Clocks: Wed - Sun; 10.30am - 4pm
Summer Clocks: Daily; 12 noon - 6pm (last entry 5pm)

Best Times of Year to Visit: 
Feb
April - May
June - Aug
Oct

To see: 
Snowdrop Festival
Woodland garden
Front borders/terraces & Bog garden.
Autumn Colour

National Collection: 


National Garden Scheme days: 
Comments: 

Parties / Coaches: Yes 
Comments: 

Viewing by Appointment: Yes
Comments: Informal 

House Open for Viewing: No
Comments: 

Admission Prices:
Adult £6; Child Free; Concessions £5; Child free (charges include a 10% voluntary Gift Aid donation)
Season tickets: Single £22, Double £38

Parking: Yes
Lavatories: Yes
Disabled Access: Yes
Shop: No
Plants for Sale: Yes
Lunches: Yes
Teas: Yes
Refreshments: Yes
Picnics: Yes
Dogs allowed: No
Only on Lead: No
Events: No

Other Facilities:
Limited access for the disabled. Plants occasionally for sale. Earl Grey Tea House serves lunches, teas and light refreshments.
Howick Family Challenge - Nature Trail - any time.


Designer: 5th Earl and Countess Grey
Description of Garden:
The emphasis of the garden is pleasant informality in the style of William Robinson. Being only a mile from the sea many plants too tender for the same latitude inland flourish here as they do on the West Coast of Scotland or in the West Country in England. Eucryphia cordifolia, Drimys winteri, Embothrium coccineum, Rhododendron fragrantissimum are just some of the plants that one would not expect to see on the east coast of Northumberland. A pair of Magnolia campbelli can be magnificent in flower in early April. 

The herbaceous borders were planted by Lady Grey with the agapanthus on the second terrace being a special feature as they are mainly original plants bred by Lewis Palmer as the Headborne hybrids now widely marketed. There is a very pleasant Long Walk, a dene which starts at the end of the woodland garden and winds down to the sea for one and a half miles following Howick Burn.


History: 
Howick was the family home of the Grey family from 1319 until the death of the 5th Earl Grey in 1963. It then passed to his eldest daughter, Lady Mary Howick, and then to his grandson, the present Lord Howick of Glendale. The 2nd Earl Grey was the Prime Minister principally responsible for the passing of the Great Reform Bill of 1832 which saved parliamentary democracy. He was a keen gardener and tree planter and planted many of the hardwoods, particularly the beech and elms most of which sadly have already died or are at the end of their natural lives.

Local Inns: 
Cottage Inn, Dunstan
Burnside, Longhoughton
Saddle Hotel, Alnmouth
Jolly Fisherman, Craster

Accomodation: 
Dunstaborough Castle Hotel, Embleton
Old Rectory, Howick

Restaurants: 
Robsons, Craster

Village/Town/Sightseeing: 
Howick village
Craster village
Longhoughton village
Boulmer village
Alnwick town