News & Events

Access to Holehird from Windermere is unaffected by the closure, caused by the recent landslide, of the A592 (Patterdale Road) above Troutbeck.  The road from the north over the Kirkstone Pass, and therefore access from Patterdale, is likely to be unavailable for some time but the LHS continues to welcome visitors to the gardens from the south.  

Visitor Reception is now closed until April but there is still plenty to see in the gardens to make a visit worthwhile.  We ask all visitors to make a donation of £6 to help with the upkeep of the garden.  This may be deposited in the collection boxes situated in the car park (close to the sign board) and outside Visitor Reception, where you will also find maps and useful information about the LHS and Holehird Gardens.

Designing with Plants Course

Location - Holehird Gardens, Patterdale Road, Windermere, LA23 1NP 

Tutor - Shelagh Todd: Cumbria-based lecturer, designer and plantswoman.

Course Description- It’s all too easy to have a garden full of wonderful plants that feels more like a restless collection than a well thought out design. Discover how to create a garden with a sense of year-round unity and well-being. Learn to select plants for their visual, aesthetic, and structural properties, how to assess your site conditions and the process of creating a planting plan on paper.   

Course Content will include Plant Knowledge and Identification; Plant Form, Habit, Colour & Texture; The Role of Plants in the Planting Scheme; Seasonal Colour and Excitement; Considering Plant Selection and using the mantra of “the right plant for the right place”; Drawing up Planting Plans and Exploring & Discussing Different Plants and Themed Borders in the glorious gardens at Holehird.         

Course Dates

Autumn and Winter 2025: 4 days teaching (10.30am - 4.00pm)

Course fee: £360

Dates: Thursday 4 September, Thursday 9 October, Thursday 6 November and Thursday 4 December

For more information and to book your place, email Shelagh on  shelagh.todd@outlook.com