Dogs love beauty as much as we do. Don’t you think it’s cute when dogs take in the scent of flowers on your long walks together? We do. We ignore the fact that they are really tracking the scent of other dogs that may have passed the same way earlier, to find out about their diet and health, and instead entertain ourselves with fantasies that our dearest and best are sharing our appreciation for a lovely stroll amongst the flowers.
So where can you take your dog this year to see some of the brightest displays of flowers? We have compiled a short guide with some of the best pet-friendly gardens across the UK. Here are some other great ideas for days out with your dog in the UK, or have a browse of our favourite dog walks in the UK.
As well as this, check out the details of the impressive dog-friendly garden on display for Battersea Dogs and Cats Home next month at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show!
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RHS Chelsea Flower Show

Battersea Dogs and Cats Home’s very own dog-friendly garden, designed by Monty Don for the 2025 Chelsea Flower Show, is an inspiring space where dogs take the lead. With no set paths, dogs are welcome to roam freely, exploring at their own pace through a sensory-rich landscape, crafted to stimulate their senses and provide an area both owners and their four-legged companions can enjoy together.
Dawn Grehan, Lead Horticulturalist at Battersea, said: “Dogs often love nothing more than spending their time in nature and can choose to explore with their noses, paws and mouths. As a result, it’s important to create a garden space that not only looks beautiful but is also safe and secure for your pets. There is a wide variety of dog-friendly plants you can grow in the garden, from herbaceous varieties such as basil and thyme for your pet to sniff, to pansies and asters to bring bright colours to your green space. Offering plenty of shaded areas and perhaps even a paddling pool for them to splash in during the warmer months will help turn your garden into the perfect outdoor haven for your pet.”
This experimental garden is more than a showcase; it’s a haven for play, relaxation, and bonding. Once the show is over, the garden will find a permanent home at Battersea, where its thoughtful design will continue to bring joy to countless dogs.
Good to know
- Address: London Gate, Royal Hospital Road, Royal Hospital Chelsea, London, SW3 4SR
- Dates: 20 May to 24 May 2025
- Entry: Day tickets from £111.85 with reduced rates for RHS members, children under 5 free
- Facilities: Dining options available, assistance dogs welcome
The Lost Gardens of Heligan, Cornwall

Well-behaved dogs on leads are most welcome to accompany you to one of the UK’s most famous dog-friendly gardens. The Lost Gardens of Heligan, near Mevagissey and St Austell in super dog-friendly Cornwall (according to our most recent Traveller's Tails survey), is a real treat for fans of landscape gardens that tell a story. Spanning tropical valleys, woodlands and walled gardens, Heligan is vast and makes for a wonderful day out if you are in the South West.
Good to know
- Address: Pentewan, St.Austell, Cornwall PL26 6EN
- Entry: Adults from £20.00, children (5–17) £9, children under 5 free, students from £12, carers free
- Facilities: Farm shop, gift shop, cafes, WCs, parking, disabled access around most of the grounds, dog waste bins, free maps
- Additional info: Please note that dogs are not permitted inside the tearooms, although they are allowed in the sheltered eating area and surrounding grounds
- Stay nearby: Treleaven Farmhouse | Sleeps 3 dogs + 18 humans
Lowther Castle and Gardens, Lake District

Lowther Castle and Gardens in the Lake District National Park is a superb dog-friendly destination where you and your pet can explore the grounds, without restriction, to your heart's content. Similar to Heligan, the gardens at Lowther Castle were hidden away for over 70 years, but now they can be enjoyed by everybody. The castle was demolished in the 1950s, but its facade remains, leaving an iconic ruin – it’s an intriguing day out for garden lovers and their dogs to enjoy the spring and summer blooms.
Good to know
- Address: Penrith, Cumbria CA10 2HH
- Entry: Adults £15, children (3–15) £10, children under 3 free, family (2 adults, up to 3 children) £45, family (1 adult, up to 4 children) £45, carers free
- Facilities: Cafe, exhibition, play park, parking, WCs, disabled access to the castle, bike hire
- Additional info: Dogs are to be kept on leads; Lowther Gardens has uneven surfaces, steep drops and steps, deep water and areas that become slippery; stout footwear for all ages is advised
- Stay nearby: The Snugalow | Sleeps 3 dogs + 6 humans

Batsford Arboretum, The Cotswolds
Batsford Arboretum in the Cotswolds recognises that dogs are important visitors. Dogs will love this famous and gorgeous garden full of exotic, rare, and beautiful trees. Spread over 60 acres, it’s especially colourful when the trees and bushes are in flower. If your visit has you feeling inspired to work on your own garden, you can stop in the garden centre and pick up some plants to take home. Dogs are allowed to accompany you throughout the arboretum, including its garden centre and cafe.
Good to know
- Address: Batsford, Moreton-in-Marsh, Gloucestershire GL56 9AT
- Entry: (Without Gift Aid) Adults £10.90, concessions £9.95, children £3.15, families £26.30
- Facilities: Garden centre, WCs, disabled access, parking, dog bowls, free dog waste bags
- Additional info: Extendable leads are not permitted; dog drinking water points are found throughout the park
- Stay nearby: Duckling Cottage – Blockley | Sleeps 1 dog + 2 humans
Ardmaddy Castle and Gardens, Scotland

Ardmaddy Castle and Gardens near Oban in Scotland is a 15th-century castle with fantastic sea views across to the Isle of Mull. The landscaped gardens are spectacular and include a walled garden and a water garden, as well as the well-known Clock Garden. Ardmaddy is a great dog-friendly garden to visit for all seasons as it’s full of flowers which dazzle you with their technicolour spreads and bewitching scents. If you are passing by during spring, be sure to visit the wonderful bluebell woods on site too.
Good to know
- Address: Near Oban, Argyll PA34 4QY
- Entry: Adults £6, children free
- Facilities: Cafe, parking, WCs, shop, partial disabled access with assistance, plant sales, pre-booked tours
- Additional info: Dogs on leads; there is a good local pub for meals and teas called Tigh an Truish at nearby Atlantic Bridge
- Stay nearby: Pier North | Sleeps 1 dog + 5 humans
Chippenham Park Gardens, Cambridgeshire

The stunning Anglo-Dutch style gardens at Chippenham Park in Cambridgeshire are especially wonderful when the snowdrops cover the huge lawns. There are 35 acres to explore with your pup by your side, taking in formal and informal gardens, beautifully planted borders, glistening lakes, dappled woodland walks, and interesting sculptures. Dogs are most welcome to accompany their owners around the canals, waterways, and parklands of Chippenham Park Gardens. It’s a fantastic destination if you are in love with roses and daffodils.
Good to know
- Address: Chippenham Park, Chippenham, Ely CB7 5PT
- Entry: Adults £10, children (5–16) £3, children under 5 free, RHS members are free (Monday–Friday)
- Facilities: WCs, parking, refreshments, good disabled access to most of the park, cash only
- Additional info: Dogs on leads are welcome in all parts of the park except for inside the cafe
- Stay nearby: Hockerhill Barn | Sleeps 2 dogs + 4 humans

Sherborne Castle and Gardens, South Coast
With gardens designed by one of the best-known landscape gardeners of all time, Capability Brown, Sherborne Castle in Dorset has flower borders for days. The stately home of Sherborne Castle was built for the explorer Sir Walter Raleigh and is set within 42 acres of grounds which include landscaped formal gardens. Spring is a great time to go to see all the tulips and daffodils, the winsome herbaceous borders, and the stunning walks around the lake.
Good to know
- Address: New Road, Sherborne, Dorset DT9 5NR
- Entry: (Gardens only) Adults £14, children (3–15) £5, children under 3 free
- Facilities: Cafe, WCs, disabled access, parking, house tours, gift shop
- Additional info: Dogs on leads are allowed throughout the grounds but not inside the house
- Stay nearby: Hummingbird Cottage | Sleeps 1 dog + 4 humans

Longframlington Gardens, North of England
Your hound is bound to love Longframlington Gardens, a 12-acre garden and arboretum near the Northumberland coast at Morpeth. There is a contemporary flower garden and a formally landscaped one that has been maintained to its original specifications. The former illustrates the effects of climate change on plants, flowers and our environment. Set in the gorgeous Northumberland countryside, this is a lovely place for a day out with your four-legged friend.
Good to know
- Address: Longframlington, Morpeth, Northumberland NE65 8BE
- Entry: Adults £7.50, children (under 16) free
- Facilities: Refreshments, nursery, good disabled access to most of the park, WCs, parking
- Additional info: Dogs on leads
- Stay nearby: Clematis Cottage Escape | Sleeps 2 dog + 2 humans
Mottistone Manor Garden, Isle of Wight

This National Trust-managed Mottistone Manor Garden on the wonderful Isle of Wight is a great dog-friendly garden to visit. Marvel at the neat flower borders, shrub-filled terraces and the views of the English Channel. Set in a sheltered valley, it’s a wonderful, quiet garden to explore with your pet all year round. Because of its temperate location, on the south side of the island, several exotic flowers, plants and trees have been able to thrive in the uncharacteristic climes; there is even an olive grove.
Good to know
- Address: Mottistone, near Brighstone, Isle of Wight PO30 4ED
- Entry: (Without Gift Aid) Adults £8.50, children £4.25, families £21.25, 1-adult family £12.75
- Facilities: Cafe, parking, WCs, good disabled access to most of the park, visitor centre
- Additional info: Dogs on leads
- Stay nearby: Driftwood Cottage – Brighstone | Sleeps 2 dogs + 6 humans
Chatsworth Estate, the Peak District

Pups that relish a bit of pomp in their lives should visit the roving gardens of the elegant and stately Chatsworth House in the Peak District. See where the TV hit Downton Abbey was filmed as you gad about the gorgeous grounds looking for flowers to sniff and photograph. Like most historic properties around the UK, pets cannot be taken into the main house but the estate does welcome them on leads in their gorgeous grounds.
Good to know
- Address: Chatsworth, Bakewell, Derbyshire DE45 1PP
- Entry: (Garden only) Adults from £18, children (3–16) from £10, children under 3 free
- Facilities: Cafe, gift shop, parking, WCs, disabled access, tours, dog drinking stations
- Additional info: Dogs are not permitted in the farmyard or children’s playground
- Stay nearby: Old Well Cottage | Sleeps 2 dogs + 4 humans
Map of dog-friendly gardens in the UK
Locate the dog-friendly gardens above on our handy map.
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Stay at one of our dog-friendly cottages
After you have decided which dog-friendly gardens to visit on your holiday, why not explore our ‘Dog-friendly Index’ to find further places to visit in and around your chosen destination? Take a look at our collection of dog-friendly holiday cottages where you and your pet will find features that are bound to make a holiday close to one of these wonderful pet-friendly gardens unforgettable.
Disclaimer: Whilst every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information at the time of writing,
please ensure you check carefully before making any decisions based on the contents within this article.