The Alnwick Garden

Alnwick Garden sits adjacent to Alnwick Castle in Northumberland, its roots dating to Georgian landscape gardening of the 1750s. Following decades of neglect, the Duchess of Northumberland commissioned a sweeping redesign from 2000 onwards, transforming the grounds into one of England's most visited gardens. The centerpiece is the Grand Cascade, a tiered fountain that tumbles down the main axis, but the most talked-about feature is the locked Poison Garden — a curated collection of over 100 toxic and narcotic plants, from deadly nightshade to ricin-bearing castor beans, toured only with a guide. Children gravitate toward the extensive water play area, while the walled rose garden offers a quieter, more reflective corner of the grounds.