Changes at RSPB Flatford Wildlife Garden
National Trust plans to take on Flatford Wildlife Garden later this year.
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Published: April 2026
Topic: Flatford Wildlife Garden
The RSPB has been welcoming visitors to Flatford Wildlife Garden since 2011, inspiring hundreds of thousands of people with wildlife-friendly gardening ideas during that time.
In 2024 we reviewed the operation of all our reserves across the UK, including our presence at Flatford Wildlife Garden, to ensure everything we do is aligned with our charitable and strategic aims and delivers the most impact for nature possible, with the resources available.
What’s happening now?
We can now confirm that the National Trust is planning to take on the ownership and management of Flatford Wildlife Garden later this year.
The RSPB will continue running the wildlife garden over the coming months while we work together with the National Trust to finalise details of the transfer to ensure a smooth handover. The transfer, which includes an area of land adjacent to the wildlife gardens, is expected in autumn this year. Visitors will be able to visit the gardens as normal, with no immediate changes to activities or the visitor experience.
A shared vision for Flatford Wildlife Garden
Over the past 15 years Flatford Wildlife Garden has welcomed on average 50,000 visitors per year during its annual opening season from April to October.
Located in the picturesque hamlet of Flatford, which inspired the artist John Constable, the wildlife garden neighbours the National Trust’s existing visitor offer. This includes a Constable exhibition, tearoom, shop, historic buildings and countryside walks.
RSPB Suffolk area manager, Adam Rowlands, said: “The RSPB has worked collaboratively with the National Trust for many years, and we are confident that their ambitions for the site align with our own ethos and how we would like to see Flatford Wildlife Garden cared for in the future.”
The gardens were left to the RSPB by sisters Silvia and Margaret Richardson to provide a “living legacy” for nature. Since taking ownership, the RSPB has maintained the garden for both wildlife and people, which the National Trust intends to continue.
National Trust area manager, Leigh Freeman, added: “We partner with the RSPB across many areas of our work and our aspirations for this special site strongly align. We’re delighted to be moving forward with transfer discussions to secure its future.
Bringing our sites together will enable us to create a more joined-up experience for visitors, enabling us to improve access, enhance the offer and ultimately protect the area’s long-term future. This is especially meaningful with the timing marking the 250th anniversary of the birth of John Constable.”
Thanks to the community who helped Flatford thrive
We are hugely grateful for the hard work and commitment of our RSPB staff and volunteers at Flatford, past and present, and for the support shown by our visitors and supporters over the years.
We are incredibly proud of what we have created at this special place, and the hundreds of thousands of people who have been inspired to connect with nature and gardening through enjoying the site over the years. This will be our lasting legacy, and we are confident of its continued success with the National Trust.
To find out more about visiting Flatford Wildlife Garden, visit www.rspb.org.uk/flatford