Dunge Valley Gardens

Dunge Valley Gardens lie half an hour to the north of the Barn near Kettleshume.

Billed as a hidden Himalayan valley in the Pennines, Dunge Valley Gardens make for a great half day excursion for anyone who loves plants and gardens.

Dunge Valley

What’s There?

The hidden gardens, tea rooms and a plant nursery, stocking many of the species seen growing in the valley itself.

Are They Any Good?

From our point of view, emphatically yes.

With over 550 species and hybrid rhododendrons, azaleas, magnolias, roses and a multitude of complementary plants, the gardens are a real treasure trove.

The approach to the gardens and the free car park, give no indication of what lies ahead.

You set out on a winding path which rises up through layers of planting along the edge of the valley, with little bridges over trickling streams and at every turn you’re confronted with a blaze of vivid colour (assuming you visit during the flowering season in May).

The path splits into various short branches, each giving wonderful views with many providing seats to take in the spectacle.

The path is quite narrow and fairly steep and slippery in places – not ideal for the less mobile or elderly, but you should get around the whole site in under two hours.

The tea rooms provide welcome refreshments with the usual array of cakes, biscuits, etc. and some charmingly friendly chaffinches and robins in the outside seating area.

There’s a specialist plant nursery close to the entrance and exit which stocks many of the rhododendrons and other plants you’ve just seen at full maturity, in pots to take home.

I was particularly take by Betula albosinensis var. septentrionali, the Chinese Red Barked Birch. I couldn’t help peeling off some of the flaking bark and stroking the glass smooth trunk underneath.

Are The Gardens Worth a Visit?

Definitely.

Make sure to check their website for special events, opening times and the like , but I would recommend late May as this is when most of the rhododendrons and azaleas are in bloom.

Two things to note:

The owners are not at all keen on young children, warning us when we arrived not to let ours make too much noise as the elderly visitors didn’t like it (needless to say, the kids were silent at this point).

We also found the owners and staff to be rather unfriendly, as though we were imposing on their private space – the gardens are attached to their house, but why open to the public and then appear to resent their presence?

Website

Dunge Valley Gardens

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