Route: Stillingfleet Lodge Gardens
Area: North Yorkshire
Date of walk: 13th May 2026
Walkers: Andrew and Gilly
Weather: Mixed sunshine and showers
Stillingfleet Lodge Gardens is a quintessential English country garden not far from the City of York (check the website for opening times and other visitor information). We’ve been here several times before, but not for many years and it was high time we rectified that. A day of mixed sunshine and showers promised some good light as we parked our car and bought our tickets. The garden was established around 50 years ago on a 4 acre site. It is divided into a series of themed areas and appears to be much larger than it is. Gates, doors and arches offer tempting views into other areas and there is added interest offered by sculptures and other garden features
The garden is organically managed and is wildlife friendly. Over 50 species of birds have been recorded here, as well as 10 species of butterfly and 9 species of bumblebee. The garden is also a safe haven for hedgehogs
There’s no need to describe a particular route. A garden plan is given out at the entrance and it’s best to go wherever your fancy takes you. We especially enjoyed the informality of the wildflower meadow in contrast to the more formal layout of The Avenue. The planting is wonderful throughout, with numerous species of unusual perennials and shrubs, several of which we’ve never seen before. We made a note of some of these and after completing the garden tour we visited the adjoining nursery to buy some more plants for our garden at home
We greatly enjoyed our afternoon in these magical gardens
Click on the icon below for the location of Stillingfleet Lodge Gardens, the usual route map is not necessary in this case
Scroll down – or click on any photo to enlarge it and you can then view as a slideshow
We enter into Stillingfleet Lodge Gardens
We pass by the Tea Room
We pass by a tempting gate into the Pear Tree Garden
The tranquil Rill Garden, surrounded by hedges of hornbeam and beech
Inside the Front Garden...
Masterwort (Astrantia Major)
Viburnum sargentii
We were very taken by this Silene Fimbriata, and before leaving we bought one from the excellent plant nursery adjoining the garden
Looking along The Avenue
A stroll along The Avenue
Looking back to Stillingfleet Lodge
In the Woodland Walk we noticed an unfamiliar plant - Purple Toothwort, which feeds on the roots of host trees
The Wildlife Pond
The wildflower meadow at the bottom of the garden
Southern Marsh Orchid
Naturalised camassia in the meadow...
The garden is home to over 50 species of birds, including these newly hatched blue tits
Continuing around the meadow
One of several wire sculptures which adorn the gardens
Viburnum in the meadow
We leave the meadow area and continue around the gardens...
We make our way slowly back to the entrance
The Courtyard
The end of a very enjoyable visit to these magical gardens
