The lengths we will go to for love never cease to amaze. When Colonel Harry Clive set about building his 12-acre, hillside garden in Staffordshire, it wasn’t for any reason other than to provide his wife Dorothy, who had Parkinson’s disease, with a “series of interesting walks”.
Sadly, she died in 1942, but the Colonel continued to work on the area’s beautiful transformation, until handing the then ‘fledgling’ garden into the care of The Willoughbridge Garden Trust in 1958—who still maintain the garden for the enjoyment of the public all year round.
What will I find at Dorothy Clive Garden?
At the heart of Dorothy Clive Garden is Colonel Clive’s original Quarry Garden, which is home to everything from rhododendrons and azaleas to magnolias and Cornus kousa. Surrounded by a canopy of oak trees, you will find the most charming woodland walk imaginable—and keep an eye out for the waterfall!
Elsewhere, the Dorothy Clive Garden is home to everything from a 330ft Laburnum arch to an edible woodland, alpine scree, and notable collections of camellias, sarcococca and hydrangeas. But don’t miss the Azalea Walk, the Rose Garden, or the Royal Botanic Glasshouse. And there is so much more to discover, you will lose hours walking about.
With high season running from April 1 to September 30, 2026, right now is the best time to visit—with weekly events, countless trails, and even its own tearoom and gift shop. You can even get married here, while the Dorothy Clive Garden is open to school groups looking to engage with gardening and wildlife.
How do I get there?
Just an hour’s drive from Birmingham in the woodland quarter of Staffordshire, you can get to Dorothy Clive Garden via the M6. Take Aston Express Way to A38, follow the M6 to Newcastle Road in Tittensor (take exit 15), and follow Trentham Rd, A53 and A51 to Dorothy Clive Garden. Alternatively, the nearest train station is Stoke-on-Trent, where you can get the 64 towards Shrewsbury, and you can get off at The Croft.
📍 Willoughbridge, Market Drayton TF9 4EU
