Stories

There are plenty of other chances to visit the gorgeous gardens of England, Wales and Northern Ireland with The Royal Oak Foundation. Of course, Royal Oak members enjoy unlimited access to all of the National Trust’s properties, including its many gardens. We’ve even got your trip-planning started for you, with this list of top ten National Trust gardens. We also have more curated tours that depart in the coming months, if you’d prefer a guided group tour. These trips visits some truly incredible gardens.

There’s hardly anything more intoxicating after a long, cold winter than the first sight of blossoms at the start of Spring. The inviting colors, mixed with the glorious sunshine, immediately remedy a winter of heavy coats, snow-soaked boots and cracked hands. We Anglophiles know that the true wonder of Spring can only be found in an English garden, though. It’s a long, celebrated tradition, one that captures the rhythm of nature. Lord Cavendish captured this spirit beautifully, explaining at a Spring 2014 Royal Oak lecture that: "Gardens are and should be ephemeral. They're about the giving and taking of pleasure." With that ephemeral beauty in mind, let’s enjoy the garden for the few wonderful months it’s here. Make sure to check out these Top Ten National Trust Gardens on your next trip to the UK!

Within the shady recesses of New York’s financial district is a garden, commissioned by the British Memorial Garden Trust and given to the City in memory of the British and Commonwealth citizens who lost their lives during the attacks of September 11, 2001 and in the ensuing wars.