Greys Court in the spring is just beautiful, and my husband and I just love going. Located a few miles outside of Henley-on-Thames in Oxfordshire makes for a great day out. The Tudor country house, dating back to the 14th century, plus gardens, are now owned by the National Trust and are open to the public, providing a lovely place to step back in time, explore the various gardens and find a nice place to sit, relax and contemplate the meaning of life!
Greys Court in the Spring | Oxfordshire
When the most recent family to call Greys Court home, – the Brunner’s – arrived in 1937, the estate was rather run down was not in the best of condition; the gardens in particular had had little attention were in something of a sorry state.
Lady Brunner decided to transform the grounds around her home, restoring a little of their former glory. In doing so she created a ‘green’ space for both her family and visitors to enjoy, thus making the gardens of Greys Court what they are today. The individual walled gardens are full of old-fashioned roses, fragrant plants and mysterious wisteria, providing secret-garden-like spaces to explore and get lost in. The estate is also home to a maze, laid in grass with bricks, and an ice house dating back to the 19th century.
The house and grounds have recently been used as a setting for Downton Abbey, Midsomer Murders and Agathe Christie’s Poirot.
Well worth a visit; we spent a good few hours strolling through the grounds, exploring the various gardens and soaking up the delightful summer rays of sunshine.
Kitchen Garden
Established out of necessity during World War Two, the kitchen garden is filled with all sorts of lovely vegetable borders, as well as a number of places to sit and watch the world go by. In the spring, there are some early flowers in bloom. You can also see the vegetables waking from their slumber and growing tall. I love the scents here, as well as the history that comes with it.
The Orchard and Cherry Garden
Bordering the kitchen garden is the orchard which is planted with many different varieties of apple following best organic methods. In the spring, the fruit trees are in full-glory and attract visitor for miles around. If you’re a local, like me, this has to be one of the best spring sights. Easily one of the best places to see spring flowers for miles around.
Wisteria Walk
As a little girl, I used to be fascinated by the mystical wisteria garden with its gnarled, twisted branches… I can safely say that not much has changed. It is still my favourite part of Greys Court in the spring and the early summer months. Easily one of the best spectacles around us.
Rose Garden
The fragrant and sweet smelling rose garden is another favourite spot of mine, with its borders bursting with beautiful flowers. This garden at Greys Court in the spring shows off some incredible colours and scents, which only build throughout the summer months. If you are as into your bees as I am, there are plenty different species here for you to admire.
The Cowshed Tea-Room
No National Trust property visit would be complete without afternoon tea. Long-following readers will know that I adore my scones (only the Devonshire way, of course!) as well as my tea. The Tea-Room at Greys Court has been newly completed and is the ideal spot to relax. Jam in the springtime is also a different beast; is there anything more perfect that raspberry jam on a warm spring afternoon?
The Estate & Ice House
The wider estate rolls out into the Chiltern Hills and provide opportunity aplenty to wander through wooded parkland. In the spring, these hide some of the best bluebell displays in all of Oxfordshire. Not far from the house, you will also find the old ice house which provides an interesting insight as to how food was stored and cooled back in the day before fridges and freezers – it also the perfect place to hide away from the summer sunshine (if and when that arrives in the UK!)
Have you visited any of the National Trust properties before? Maybe you’ve even visited Greys Court? Do let me know your favourite in the comments below!
You can also find me on social media: Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Did you know that I also vlog my travel adventures? I would love you to subscribe to my YouTube channel so that you never miss an episode… SUBSCRIBE HERE
Other posts that may help you:
- What to do around Oxfordshire for the May Bank Holiday: Local Advice
- Spring Time Around Oxfordshire
- Best Places to see Spring Flowers around Oxfordshire
- Where to see Bluebells around Oxfordshire (2023)
Thank you for reading and I hope that you enjoyed the post! If you have any questions about Greys Court OR the area in general please do get in touch in the comments below.
If you enjoyed this post, please share it with your family and friends!
Happy exploring,
Love Victoria X
