A leisurely Sunday at RHS Garden Wisley

With thanks to Jean-Pierre https://www.outdoorlads.com/user/jpn and following his spring visit in April 2024, we’ll have a leisurely Sunday exploring the stunning RHS garden in Wisley, Surrey. I’m a regular visitor so am happy to show you some of the delights of the gardens, and quieter corners, Wisley can be reached in under an hour from central London. RHS Wisley is the flagship garden of the Royal Horticultural Society and has been described as ‘one of the best gardens in the world’. It is a top UK attraction with around 1.3 million visitors every year, and the extensive grounds cover 240 acres showcasing some of the world’s most beautiful plants and flowers. The garden has much to offer, and attractions include...

The Glasshouse: The cathedral-like Glasshouse features three climatic zones: tropical, moist temperate and dry temperate, and was built to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the RHS. 

The Rock Garden: One of Wisley’s oldest and most impressive areas featuring winding paths, water features, and a selection of planting schemes. 

Bowes-Lyon Rose Garden: Contains a mixture of 4,000 roses and 5,000 shrubs and herbaceous perennials. 

The Old Laboratory: Discover the early days of the RHS at Wisley through interactive exhibits including ‘Exhibition: Nature's Medicine - The Making of a Modern-Day Herbal“. 

Battleston Hill: A showcase for rhododendrons, camellias, magnolias, and hydrangeas with a stunning array of autumn colour. 

Oakwood: The most historic part of Wisley, originally created in 1878 within an existing wood. The vision was to successfully grow difficult plants from parts of the world such as Asia and Japan. 

The Orchid House: Opened in 2023 and home to over 3,000 orchids that have been collected since the 1980s. 

RHS Hilltop: The home of gardening science and the UK’s first dedicated horticultural scientific centre of excellence. The centre encompasses the Wellbeing Garden (designed to provide inspiration “to get people gardening for body and soul”), the World Food Garden (which takes its inspiration from a traditional kitchen garden) and the Wildlife Garden (which shows how to create a wildlife haven in even the smallest gardens). 

There is also a garden centre with an extensive collection of houseplants, unique plants and shrubs, gardening tools and accessories, and an eclectic selection of gifts and homewares.

Admission Prices

Entrance to Wisley is free for yourself and one guest if you are an RHS member. Otherwise the standard price without gift aid is £18.50, and for visitors who come to the garden by public transport or bicycle the standard price is £12.95. Tickets can also be purchased for just £1 if you receive any of a number of benefits - please check the website for more information. RHS Garden Wisley : Days and events in Surrey / RHS Gardening 

The garden is open 9am to 6pm on the day we visit. 

Are dogs allowed? 

Sorry, no dogs. Only assistance dogs are allowed in the garden. 

New Members

New members are very welcome. Please message me if you have any questions or concerns before the day. Whilst we are a very open and welcoming group, if you wish, we may be able to organise an existing member to buddy up with you before or on the day. Do also feel free to arrive early as I’m always around much earlier than the start time. 

Image / photo credits:  All images are those of the leader with permission for OutdoorLads to use and reuse

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