Find your own winter wonderland

East

Anglesey Abbey, Garden and Lode Mill, Cambridgeshire
The Winter Garden at Anglesey Abbey bursts with life at this time of year. Designed specifically with plants that give winter colour, texture and fragrance, it is a beautiful sight to be enjoyed by winter visitors. On the winding walk discover bright yellow and red dogwoods and the polished bark of the Tibetan Cherry. Enjoy the scent of winter flowering honeysuckle floating in the breeze and look out for the Himalayan Silver Grove, with their slender white trunks. There are plenty of scenic delights to discover throughout the extensive gardens including historic Lode Mill and magnificent statues collected by Lord Fairhaven. Just after New Year make sure you look out for the displays of thousands of snowdrops that dot over the landscape. www.nationaltrust.org.uk/anglesey-abbeyb 

South West

Castle Drogo, Devon
Hidden behind pristine yew hedges stands a Lutyens designed terraced formal garden. Winter is a great time to admire the architecture of the garden, patchwork beds and dramatic Dartmoor views. Look out for large scale photographs by photographer Mike Smallcombe around the garden and surrounding estate that tell the stories of Castle Drogo's past.

Godolphin, Cornwall
Thought to be one of the earliest surviving formal gardens in England, the ancient structure of Godolphin's side garden becomes most visible during winter months. The mild climate in West Cornwall means that snowdrops and other signs of spring arrive here much earlier than in other parts of the country. See the gardening team working on the sunken lawns project, which aims to replant the borders with highly scented perennials and native plants to highlight the historic structure and encourage bees and other wildlife. The wider estate is also open all year, so why not take a walk to the top of Godolphin Hill, where you can see across to St. Michael's Mount and St. Ives.
www.nationaltrust.org.uk/godolphin
Make a weekend of it: Godolphin House is one of Cornwall's most outstanding historic houses.It was built by the tin and copper mining Godolphin family in the late 15th century and by the 17th century it was one of the most fashionable houses in Cornwall. Today it provides atmospheric accommodation for twelve guests.

Killerton, Devon
Winter is a great time to visit Killerton's gardens, with the classic designed views rewarding visitors who brave the fresh air. The garden is home to trees and plants from around the world, collected by the Acland family, resulting in a forever changing rich tapestry of colour all year round. A visit to the Chapel is a must during late winter, as the grounds bloom with colour from winter flowering cyclamen, while around the house the garden enjoys the red colours of berries and the flowers of Persian ironwood (Parrotia persica) and Camellia sasanqua. Don't forget to visit the unique Bear's Hut, meet the Dartmoor ponies on the Clump, and explore the wider parkland using one the six walks leaflets launched in the autumn. Wherever you roam at Killerton this winter, there is something to discover. www.nationaltrust.org.uk/killerton
 
Make a weekend of it: Three adjoining thatched cottages with thick cob walls (Broad Ley, Mattress and Longmeadow) offer the chance for large gatherings and family get-togethers. While Forest Cottage is tucked away in the Ashclyst Forest on the estate and Killerton Park Cottage is a 1920s carriage drive lodge house.

Knightshayes, Devon
Knightshayes winter garden offers you a fresh, spectacular stroll through the Woodland garden this season. Allow yourself to breathe in the stunning scents of the Wintersweets. Crunch your way around the mature trees clustered around the garden and behold the sight of the coloured birches and sea of red and yellow cornus. Even canine friends are welcome to explore the formal gardens until the end of February with you. Warm up with a stroll in the tranquil, sparkling frosty parkland, heading down to a secluded pond with the towering Redwood surrounded by a carpet of snowdrops. You'll be able to spot one of Europe's largest Turkey Oaks on your way back to our toasty stables to enjoy a hot soup, or one of our delicious Sunday carveries, made using our own produce. www.nationaltrust.org.uk/knightshayes

Stourhead, Wiltshire
Stourhead is a beautiful, tranquil place to visit during winter. There's plenty of fresh winter air on offer in the surroundings of this world-famous landscape garden, where a magnificent lake reflects classic temples, mystical grottos and swathes of surrounding trees. The buildings and statues in the garden are a key part of Henry Hoare II's carefully constructed views. They form focal points around the lake, as if in a living painting. Discover the intriguing Grotto and peer through its circular opening and you'll see the Temple of Apollo and the Temple of Flora beautifully framed by the Grotto's volcanic rock. www.nationaltrust.org.uk/stourhead/
Make a weekend of it: 89 Church Lawn, set at the entrance to the garden this pretty 18th century holiday cottage, which sleeps seven, allows guests to enjoy the landscape garden before the crowds.

South East

Mottisfont, Hampshire
Visitors to Mottisfont can enjoy the National Trust's newest winter garden, exploring the potential of plants that are at their most beautiful and interesting when other plants are in hibernation. The garden blends a number of unusual plants that are rich in colour and scented. Gullies of foliage plants appear to wind through the banks of willow and spill into the stream. As winter creeps in, the garden becomes a refuge for late flowering shrubs and sweet-smelling winter honeysuckle. www.nationaltrust.org.uk/mottisfont/

Stowe, Buckinghamshire
Winter is the perfect time to see this monumental garden glisten with crisp frost and mist drifting across the lakes. There are more than 250 acres of garden to explore with lakes, classical temples, winding paths and woods created by some of the greatest minds of gardening design and architecture that include Lancelot 'Capability' Brown and William Kent. See the architectural beauty of leafless trees against the brilliance of bright blue winter skies and magical temples that tell tales of myths, legends and political rivalry. www.nationaltrust.org.uk/stowe/

Wales

Bodnant Garden, Conwy
Bodnant's winter garden has been open for just over two years and with its winter colours and scents it brightens up even the coldest of winter days. See the stark shapes, crisp patterns and enjoy the fresh cold air for that perfect post-Christmas walk in this world-famous garden. Discover coloured-stemmed birches, bulbs and bergenias that provide a splash of colour against the winter sky. At weekends during the winter months you'll be able to enjoy a warming cuppa in the bottom of the garden at the Dell tea stop. With hot drinks, snacks and a warming fire, it's the perfect place to pause and reflect while on your way round the garden. www.nationaltrust.org.uk/bodnant-garden

Dinefwr Park and Castle, Carmarthenshire
From the ruined castle to deer park and woodland, there is plenty to discover in this iconic part of the Welsh countryside. There are some wonderful walking trails around the Dinefwr estate. Whether you're interested in wildlife, history or just want a peaceful walk with spectacular views; Dinefwr is the place for you. Discover the hundreds of oak trees that are more than 400 years old, standing proudly overlooking the National Nature Reserve. www.nationaltrust.org.uk/dinefwr
Make a weekend of it: Take your pick from Home Farm Farmhouse a white washed farm house with exposed beams which sleeps twelve or Penparc, originally a pair of cottages with a hipped terracotta roof with stunning views which sleeps eight.

Northern Ireland

Castle Ward, County Down
Overlooking Strangford Lough, this eccentric country home has plenty of room for recreation in the winter months, with miles of trails through woodlands and along the Lough shoreline. Visit for a chance to see a fantastic range of migrating birds and the resident seals. In the early morning, as the mist rises over Castle Ward house, Irish hares can be seen frequently playing on the classical front lawn. While on the gothic lawn, a family of pheasants are often seen probing for insects and worms with their bills. The garden, parkland and woodland are open throughout the winter months. www.nationaltrust.org.uk/castle-ward
Make a weekend of it: The Potter's Cottage is a quaint, single-storey stone cottage in the working farmyard near the Lough shore. With white washed walls and a cosy open fire it's the perfect romantic hideaway for two.

Midlands

Clumber Park, Nottinghamshire
The winter light reveals the stark beauty of Clumber's landscape. This former Ducal Park is open all year and home to nearly 4,000 acres of parkland and gardens, peaceful woodlands and open spaces to explore on foot or by bike. Don't miss a winter photo opportunity at the beautiful Clumber chapel, with its 180 foot spire and Gothic architecture; it looks lovely in the snow. Walk down Limetree Avenue and marvel at the majestic double lime trees that sparkle in the winter frost and sun. www.nationaltrust.org.uk/clumber-park

North

Dunham Massey, Cheshire
The Dunham Massey winter garden is the largest of its kind in the UK. The seven-acre garden is home to over 700 different plant species and a further 1,600 shrubs providing plenty of distractions from the cold - from striking white-stemmed silver birches and bright dogwood barks to colourful berries and flowers. In February, look out for thousands of snowdrops which carpet the garden, the striking colours of the blue winter iris and swathes of early spring daffodils. www.nationaltrust.org.uk/dunham-massey

Fountains Abbey and Studley Royal, North Yorkshire
See magnificent abbey ruins combined with beautiful landscaped Georgian water gardens at this breathtaking World Heritage Site, which also boasts its own medieval deer park. Fountains Abbey has over 800 acres of beautiful parkland to enjoy, full of hidden walks for a great winter escape. You'll find lots of larch and scots pine, whilst yews provide splashes of winter colour to frame the frosty views. The ruins of the abbey are stark against the winter sky, while the water gardens create mirror-like pools, reflecting the planting around them. www.nationaltrust.org.uk/fountains-abbey 
Make a weekend of it: There are eleven holiday cottages on offer, including two apartments in the luxurious Fountains Hall, which recently appeared in the BBC's Jonathan Strange and Mr Norell as well as five cottages at How Hill which have been converted from a group of eighteenth century farm buildings.

Wallington, Northumberland
Leave the formality of the house behind this winter and explore the wonderful eighteenth-century pleasure ground waiting for you in the woods at Wallington. Whichever path you take through the woods, whether it's the winding Serpentine Path or the longer path that loops around the China Pond and past the impressive Portico House; the tranquillity of the landscape will surround you. Discover the mini-lake covered in a sprinkling of frost and the enchanting Walled Garden. There is also a beautiful Edwardian conservatory, originally created as a Winter Garden, which is home to an array of beautiful plants throughout the year. The grounds at Wallington are open all year round, including Christmas Day, and are the perfect place to walk off the Christmas dinner. www.nationaltrust.org.uk/wallington/