Badminton Estate: A Garden Lover’s Dream
If you’ve ever fallen head-over-heels for English country gardens, then Badminton Estate and gardens is one of those magical places that lives in your mind long after you leave. I visited the gardens at the Badminton Estate on an open day with my camera in hand, of course, and I’m excited to share what makes these gardens so special — plus a look ahead at the very first RHS Badminton Flower Show in 2026, which I’ll be visiting, and blogging about after I’ve soaked it all in.
Who lives at Badminton Estate?
Badminton Estate is the ancestral home of the Duke and Duchess of Beaufort, part of the Somerset family, who’ve made their home here for generations. The Somerset family’s connection to the land goes back to the 17th century.
While Badminton House is still a private family residence, the estate also hosts open garden days, events, filming, weddings, and more. The Duke and Duchess are clearly passionate about the gardens: the current Duchess works closely with the gardeners, especially in the walled kitchen garden and around the house, to build on the legacy of her predecessors.
Can you visit Badminton House (and its gardens)?
Yes — but with some caveats, which makes it feel all the more special when you do. The gardens at Badminton House open to visitors just three times a year: in April, June, and September.
During these Open Garden Days, you can wander through:
- The formal beds east of the house, designed by the famous garden designer Russell Page. We were lucky enough to do some work in a private garden originally designed by Russell page so I found it very interesting to see the same style at the Badminton Estate. Here the formal garden is a blend of structure, with neatly trimmed yew hedges and a variety of plants for all seasons, combining structure with the lushness of planting which frame the vista to the park. When I visited, on a showery day in June, this garden was heady with scent of roses and companion planting of campanulas, penstemons, geraniums, phlox and foxgloves. The theme here is largely pastel and the plants are an informal cottage style mix with carefully situated benches to give the visitor opportunities to simply enjoy the harmonious whole.
- The South Garden, with its water squares, neatly clipped hedges, and abundant herbaceous borders full of geraniums, phlox and penstemons. The Fountains are spectacular at the Badminton Estate and have been developed over the years, most recently in the 1980’s. The elegant Orangery overlooks a “swimming pond,” which has a central, rather magnificent fountain.
- The Walled Garden, a charm-filled kitchen garden teeming with fruit, veg, and flowers grown for cutting. Roses, clematis, wisteria, and a wonderfully structured archway.
- One of the special places a visitor to the Badminton Estate should not miss is the greenhouse/orangery full of pelargoniums used for propagation. The first thing that hits you is the smell – a wonderful combination of rose and scented geraniums. What a wonderful place this must be for the gardeners on the Badminton estate to work!
Wandering through the extensive gardens is such a treat — there’s a real sense of history, but also an energy of active, living gardening. One of my favourite places was the Well cottage gardens, located a short walk away from the main house. This is home to Miranda Beaufort, who is clearly a passionate gardener. On the day of my visit she was there to answer questions, along with her gardener. It was so obviously a loved garden with beautiful cottage-garden plantings and clever vistas. 
What has been filmed at Badminton Estate?
Badminton Estate is a bit of a star in its own right. It has served as a filming location for Netflix’s Bridgerton and The Gentlemen. On the film front, iconic scenes from Pearl Harbor and 28 Days Later were shot in the grounds, along with other productions. One of the things that makes it so cinematic is its vast variety of settings: formal gardens, woodlands, follies, barns, stables, even a private church — the estate offers so many backdrops for film crews.
How much is Badminton Estate worth?
This is tricky — because as a historic, privately owned estate, there isn’t a public “for sale” value, and the financials of the whole estate are not entirely transparent. That said having seen the extent of the grounds I was interested to know!
- The net worth of the estate’s business entity (Badminton Estates Property LLP) appears in public filings, but this reflects the managed property business rather than the entire historic value of the land, parkland, and heritage buildings.
- The Badminton House itself is a Grade I listed building, set in a sprawling landscape.
- Because of the scale, history, and architectural importance (plus the land), appraising a “market value” is more about heritage than typical valuation.
In short: the worth of the Badminton Estate is enormous in cultural and historic terms, even if a precise public market price isn’t available.
The Gardens: A Bit of Design History and Plant Love
After my visit I did a bit of research into who shaped these wonderful gardens. In fact, the estate’s garden history reads like a “who’s who” of garden design legends: William Kent, Charles Bridgeman, and “Capability” Brown all contributed. In more modern times, Russell Page and François Goffinet came in the 1980s to lay out the formal parterres, structure, and planting schemes that balance structure with lush, seasonal depth. When I visited in June, the roses were the stars of the show, with an abundance of foxgloves as supporting acts. In the wider parklands, the influence of brown can be seen, there are sweeping avenues, old copses, and charming follies dotted around.
The first Duchess of Beaufort (Mary Somerset) was a keen plant collector. She brought in species from around the world, which were novel and unusual in the 17th century, so there’s a spirit of botanical curiosity rooted deep in the garden’s DNA.
Visiting Badminton House’s gardens felt like stepping into a painting with a cozy, old-world feel. The calm, reflective pools surrounded by precisely trimmed hedging and beds of soft-coloured perennials are picturesque. The garden design is formal, yes, but it’s also warm and full of life. Everywhere you look, there’s something growing, changing, and layered with history. I found myself thinking about how the Duchess and the gardening team must work together so hands-on, it’s a living, breathing garden that is clearly loved.
The RHS Badminton Flower Show 2026
Now, the first-ever RHS Badminton Flower Show is set to take place on the Badminton Estate from Wednesday 8th July to Sunday 12th July 2026. It’s the first time the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) is holding a show in Gloucestershire. We were asked to do a show garden, after the success of our RHS gold award winning garden at Malven, and RHS Chelsea garden in 2024, but we’re doing a garden at RHS Malvern again next year so wont be taking part. However, I will be going to exploring the show gardens set within the beautiful Badminton Estate and to discover new planting ideas. new gardens, plantings, installations.
I’ll be writing a full blog after the show with all my highlights, plant finds, and garden inspiration.
Why Garden Designers Should Care About Badminton Estate
If you’re a garden designer (or just someone who loves plants), Badminton Estate is more than just pretty walkways — it’s a living case study in how historical design and contemporary horticulture can dance together beautifully. The interplay between structure (parterres, hedges, water features) and soft planting (perennials, roses) is a masterclass. The hundreds of acres of parkland are a reminder that gardens aren’t just about the borders around the house; the larger landscape matters – this is a strong design principle. The upcoming RHS Badminton Flower Show is an incredible opportunity for garden designers to showcase creativity, for plant nurseries to present new varieties, and for garden lovers to soak up inspiration.
Visiting the gardens at Badminton House was one of the most inspiring experiences I’ve had: everywhere I turned, there was a delicate balance of artistry, history, and horticulture.
If you’re based in Gloucestershire or nearby, get in touch to find out more about our design work. We also offer bespoke garden landscaping services such as garden room installation, garden kitchen installation and a garden clearance service.
