Lea Gardens Ltd

The valley floor here is thick with rhododendrons and azaleas - proper springtime spectacle if you time it right. Lea Gardens sits just outside Matlock, a working woodland garden that's part nature reserve, part plant lover's pilgrimage. You're wandering through mixed woodland with specimen trees scattered about, following paths that dip and climb depending on what's caught the owner's eye over the years.

It's not a manicured park. Expect authentic woodland management rather than pristine borders, which means autumn colours can be genuinely stunning and spring bulbs come as pleasant surprises rather than regimented displays. The paths wind uphill in places - nothing brutal, but you'll feel it. Budget a good two hours if you're the type to stop and look at things properly.

This works best for keen gardeners and walkers who appreciate the bones of a landscape as much as its flowers. Young kids might get restless unless they're keen on nature and scrambling about in woods - it's not set up for entertainment, just honest growing space. Free or modest admission (details worth checking ahead) makes it a sensible half-day outing from any of the nearby campsites around Matlock - you're only two miles from Lickpenny if you're based there.

Going in May or June catches the rhododendron season at its peak. Autumn's worth a visit too if you're in the area later in the year. It's genuine rather than flashy - exactly what you want from a woodland garden in Derbyshire.