There comes a point during every bank holiday weekend when you find yourself wondering what to do with the child. Staying at home sounds good until you remember that small children have very little interest in their parents enjoying a quiet afternoon.

With the last bank holiday of summer upon us, H and I decided to take little Cyrus somewhere with fresh air, plenty of room to explore and, ideally, somewhere I could enjoy a coffee without having to make it myself. We settled on The Alnwick Garden in Northumberland, accompanied by H’s cousin, whom we call Pesar Khaleh.

For H, there was another attraction. As a Persian, he has an appreciation for gardens, especially those where water, symmetry and carefully arranged planting take centre stage. The ancient Persian word paridaiza, meaning an enclosed garden or park, eventually gave us the English word paradise. It seemed appropriate for where we were heading. I was just hoping for good weather, a happy child and a few hours without household chores.

I hadn’t visited Alnwick Castle since I was a child, more than 35 years earlier. My memories were rather hazy, although I remembered the imposing stonework and the excitement of being taken somewhere that felt rather grand. Returning to the area with Cyrus was lovely. This time, I was the mum organising the outing rather than the little girl enjoying it.

The Alnwick Garden is a much newer attraction than the castle I remembered, so this wasn’t quite a trip down memory lane. Instead, it was an opportunity to discover something new in a place that already held childhood associations.

And what a place to discover. The flowers were extraordinary. Everywhere I looked, there were carefully arranged borders, enormous splashes of colour and pathways drawing visitors towards the next view. The planting was so immaculate that I wondered how many gardeners it took to keep everything looking so orderly. My own attempts at gardening end with something dying and me blaming the weather.

Then there was the Grand Cascade, with water tumbling down its terraces in a display that demanded attention. I stood admiring the scale of it while Cyrus was far more interested in getting close enough to investigate the water. We had arrived with rather different priorities.

One of the pleasures of being married to a Persian is that an ordinary family outing can turn into an unexpected cultural history lesson. H has a knack for spotting connections to Iran, whether we’re talking about food, architecture or the correct way to cook rice. Gardens are no exception.

In Persian culture, gardens have long represented more than somewhere to grow flowers. They provide shade, water and a welcome retreat from the heat. They also carry a deeper cultural significance, with gardens frequently appearing in Persian poetry as places of beauty, reflection and paradise.

The traditional chahar bagh, meaning four gardens, is one of the best-known examples of Persian garden design. Its layout typically divides a garden into four sections using pathways or water channels, creating a sense of balance and order. The tradition influenced garden design far beyond Iran, including the famous Mughal gardens of India.

The Alnwick Garden isn’t a Persian garden and wasn’t designed as one. Yet standing beside its fountains and looking across the terraces, I could understand why H recognised something familiar. Water guides the eye, pathways create structure and flowers soften the formal lines.

It reminded me of gardens we’d visited in Shiraz, especially those associated with the poets Hafez and Saadi. There, gardens are places to sit, talk and escape the heat, often with a cup of tea. Northumberland wasn’t offering quite the same climate, but the feeling was similar.

I liked the thought that Cyrus was growing up with an appreciation of both places. He might one day remember the gardens of his father’s homeland alongside the parks and countryside of Northumberland. For a little boy with British and Persian roots, there was something lovely about that.

One of the things I enjoyed most about The Alnwick Garden was being able to walk without following a strict itinerary. We could take whichever path caught our attention and stop whenever something interested us.

The Ornamental Garden was really impressive, with its formal planting and carefully arranged borders. I have always loved roses, so the Rose Garden was naturally a favourite. There is something about the scent of roses on a warm summer afternoon that makes me want to slow down and enjoy my surroundings.

The Poison Garden offered a rather different attraction. Behind its gates are plants with fascinating, and sometimes dangerous, properties. It is an intriguing reminder that nature isn’t always as harmless as it appears, although it is best explored on one of the garden’s supervised tours.

Cyrus, meanwhile, had his own interests. Strawberries, streams, flower petals and anything involving water were considerably more exciting than botanical history. He was happy to investigate whatever caught his attention, while we followed along, occasionally trying to steer him towards something we’d come to see.

That’s the thing about taking young children anywhere. You might arrive with an idea of what the day will involve, but they tend to have plans of their own.

The Cherry Orchard turned out to be one of the highlights of our visit. With its rows of cherry trees and swings, it felt less formal than some of the other areas, inviting visitors to stop and enjoy themselves.

Watching H, Pesar Khaleh and Cyrus enjoying the swings together was one of my favourite moments of the afternoon. They were having fun, laughing and making the most of being outside together.

As a new mum over 40, I sometimes find myself thinking about the places I visited as a child and whether Cyrus will remember the outings we take him on. I don’t remember every detail of my own childhood trips, but I remember how they felt, the excitement of going somewhere different and the pleasure of spending time together.

Perhaps he’ll remember the fountains at Alnwick, or the swings will be the only thing that stays with him. Either way, I hope he’ll look back on days like this with the same affection I have for my own childhood outings.

No family day out is complete without stopping for something to eat, preferably before somebody becomes hungry enough to make the entire outing unpleasant.

The Pavilion Café, near the entrance, gave us a welcome opportunity to rest our feet and admire the surroundings. With views towards the Grand Cascade, it was a pleasant place to sit with a coffee and take stock of the morning.

We ordered three sandwiches and drinks, which came to £20.50. It wasn’t the cheapest lunch we’d ever bought, but the sandwiches were filling and the setting made the experience more enjoyable. I did briefly wonder whether we should have brought a picnic, although that would have involved preparing one before leaving the house.

I am firmly of the opinion that coffee tastes better when someone else has made it, particularly when you’re sitting in the sunshine and aren’t expected to unload the dishwasher afterwards.

We didn’t make it to the Treehouse restaurant on this visit, although it’s somewhere I’d like to try next time. Eating among the trees sounds rather appealing, especially with a child who would probably consider the building itself an adventure.

The Alnwick Garden is certainly photogenic, but there is more to it than attractive flower beds and opportunities to take pictures. What impressed me was how easily it accommodated different ages.

For adults, there are the gardens, architecture and planting to enjoy. For children, there are places to explore and activities that encourage them to look more closely at their surroundings.

Cyrus particularly enjoyed the children’s tractors, which were conveniently positioned so we could supervise him without having to chase him quite so enthusiastically. There was also a fairytale-themed quest around the grounds, with clues to spot along the way.

We spent several hours exploring without feeling that we needed to rush from one attraction to another. If Cyrus wanted to stop, we stopped. If something caught our attention, we took a closer look. It was a refreshing change from days out that require military levels of planning simply to make sure you’ve seen everything.

For once, we were happy to let the afternoon unfold.

Another reason The Alnwick Garden deserves attention is its charitable work. The Alnwick Garden Trust supports community programmes alongside the visitor attraction, with initiatives intended to bring people together and provide opportunities for those who might otherwise experience isolation or disadvantage.

I like the idea that somewhere we enjoy visiting can also serve a wider purpose. Gardens are often treated as places of leisure, but they can also provide opportunities for learning, social connection and spending time outdoors.

You don’t have to be a keen gardener to appreciate that. I certainly wouldn’t describe myself as one, despite having occasionally purchased plants with the best of intentions. And after a week spent juggling work, family life and household responsibilities, a few hours walking among flowers felt like a perfectly reasonable investment in my own wellbeing.

By the time we headed home, we’d walked, explored, eaten and spent several hours enjoying one another’s company. Cyrus had been thoroughly entertained, H had found familiar connections to Persian culture and I’d rediscovered a part of Northumberland that reminded me why I love living in the North East.

What stayed with me wasn’t simply the beautiful planting or the impressive fountains. It was seeing somewhere associated with my childhood through my son’s eyes, while also recognising something of his father’s heritage in the landscape.

I had arrived expecting a pleasant family outing. I left thinking about how places, memories and cultures can overlap in ways you don’t necessarily anticipate.

As we drove home, we agreed that it wouldn’t be another 35 years before our next visit. Although next time, I might pack a picnic.

Location: The Alnwick Garden, Denwick Lane, Alnwick, Northumberland, NE66 1YU.

Highlights: Grand Cascade, Ornamental Garden, Rose Garden, Cherry Orchard and Poison Garden.

Food and drink: The Pavilion Café and Treehouse dining options.

Accessibility: Check the garden’s website for current information about accessible routes, facilities and mobility assistance.

Tickets and opening hours: Prices, opening times and activities can change throughout the year, so check before travelling.

Website: www.alnwickgarden.com

Editor’s note: This article recalls an earlier family visit. Prices and facilities mentioned in the review reflect our experience at the time and may have changed.

I went to The Alnwick Garden expecting flowers, fountains and a decent cup of coffee. I came home with a few more family memories and a renewed appreciation for the cultural connections that can turn an ordinary day out into something more personal.

Have you visited The Alnwick Garden, or is there another Northumberland garden you think deserves a visit? And have you ever returned somewhere from your childhood with your own children, only to find yourself seeing it completely differently? I’d love to hear your recommendations.

Explore more stories about family life, culture and days out on Saffron & Cyrus.