Highlights
- The daisy chain of pools and the Water Gardens, with candelabra primulas, gunneras and water lilies
- The Camellia Garden in early spring, including camellias first raised at Caerhays
- The Circular Garden of roses, peonies and hydrangeas
- The walled Kitchen Garden, with fruit trained on south-facing walls
- A Grade II* listed dovecote built in 1656
About Hodnet Hall Gardens
People have lived on this site for centuries: the earthworks of a 12th-century Norman castle survive behind the car park, and the stable block of a Tudor mansion is now the Garden Restaurant. In 1865 the Heber-Percy family built a new hall on higher ground, with a terrace walk and a formal circle garden around it.
The garden as it is today owes most to Brigadier A. G. W. Heber-Percy, born in 1904, who built steps down from the house and, with the help of friends from his regiment, dug out a chain of pools in the valley below. His son and daughter-in-law, Algy and Jane, took over in 1966 and have opened the garden to visitors ever since.
What to see
- Pools and Water Gardens: cascades and pools edged with astilbes, primulas, gunneras and water lilies.
- Camellia Garden: an early-spring display with rhododendrons, some camellias first raised at Caerhays Castle in Cornwall.
- Circular Garden and Broad Walk: shrub roses, peonies and hydrangeas, and a south-facing herbaceous border.
- Walled Kitchen Garden: vegetables, sweet peas, and apricots, figs and peaches on the walls.
- Dovecote and Beech Avenue: a 1656 dovecote and the avenue where the hymn writer Reginald Heber used to walk.
Planning your visit
Hodnet is in north Shropshire, south-west of Market Drayton. The gardens are open three days a week plus bank holiday Mondays from mid March to the end of October, so the 2026 season is nearly over. Tickets can be bought online or at the gate, where card, contactless and exact cash are accepted.
The Garden Restaurant serves light lunches and afternoon tea and welcomes well-behaved dogs; the garden entry charge applies even if you have booked tea. Some areas are steep, so download the disabled access map before your visit. Events include a summer plant fair in June and a National Garden Scheme open day.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to visit Hodnet Hall Gardens?
General admission in 2026 is £10 for adults and £1 for children. Historic Houses members get in free on normal open days.
When is Hodnet Hall Gardens open?
In 2026 the gardens open on Sundays, Wednesdays, Fridays and bank holiday Mondays from 10am to 5pm, between 15 March and 30 October.
Is Hodnet Hall Gardens accessible for wheelchair users?
Partly. Because of the historic layout and steep ground in places, there are some limits on access, and the gardens publish a disabled access map to help plan a route.