Lowther Castle and Gardens has been named as one of the best gardens in Europe.
The European Garden Awards celebrates design and management of contemporary and historic gardens, nominated by experts and the public.
Lowther Castle was named runner-up in the Management or Development of a Historic Park or Garden category at the ceremony in Germany.
First place was awarded to Rundāle Palace in Latvia, known as the Versailles of the Baltic States and joint runner-up were the gardens of Marqueyssac in the Dordogne.
Jim Lowther, of Lowther Castle, said: “It was an amazing experience to travel to Schloss Dyck and to meet the owners of such splendid venues.
“Of course, this prize is a huge tribute to the gardening team at Lowther – led by Martin Ogle and Nathalie Gargett and steered to greatness by Dan Pearson and his wonderful studio of designers.
“It is heartening to see how the gardens of Europe are flourishing. I would like to thank all the judges and team at the European Garden Heritage Network for their hospitality and warmth during my visit.
“Meanwhile, at Lowther, we continue to invest in the gardens and are looking forward to unveiling more layers of design in the coming months.”
