RHS Garden Wisley

About

For more than 200 years, the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) has been the force behind the nation’s love of gardening, backed up by its core vision to ‘enrich everyone’s life through plants, and make the UK a greener and more beautiful place’. A shining example of this is the charity’s flagship garden, RHS Garden Wisley in Surrey, which is one of the UK’s most visited and best-loved gardens.

Wisley was given to the RHS in 1903 and is now a hub of horticultural excellence and a top visitor attraction, with 240 acres to explore. It is home to some of the largest plant collections anywhere in the globe and showcases inspirational gardening. Planting schemes are constantly evolving to ensure there's always something new to excite and inspire visitors.

RHS Garden Wisley has undergone some exciting changes in recent years with the opening of a new  Welcome building that sweeps visitors into the heart of world-class horticulture, as well as a large Garden Centre and the new Wisley Café.

On 24 June 2021, RHS Hilltop – The Home of Gardening Science, opened its gates to the public at RHS Garden Wisley. RHS Hilltop is the UK’s first dedicated gardening science hub, surrounded by four acres of ‘living laboratories’ in the form of three new gardens. Each one of the gardens have been designed by RHS Chelsea Gold Medal winners.
 

Highlights at RHS Garden Wisley

The Rock Garden
The naturalistic Rock Garden is one of Wisley’s oldest and most magnificent features. It is a showcase for a wide range of plants that flourish in alpine conditions and dwarf conifers, alongside winding paths and calming water features. While exploring this garden, look for the cloud-pruned Japanese larch, which is more than 200 years old.
Wisteria Walk 
Wisteria is one of Wisley’s signature plants that can be found adorning the garden in May. To display this springtime favourite, the Wisteria Walk was created in 2018. Now establishing well, the walkway will feature glorious purple racemes of two cultivars, Wisteria floribunda ‘Kokuryu’ and ‘Kimono’. Head here to take in the delights of spring.
Battleston Hill 
This area is known for its flamboyant burst of colour that reaches a peak in April and May, with hundreds of rhododendrons to discover along the winding pathways.
Bowes-Lyon Rose Garden 
Summer is the time to experience the Bowes-Lyon Rose Garden at its best. Delight the senses with roses of all shapes, sizes, colours and fragrances.
Exotic Garden 
An intriguing tropical inspired space, it invites visitors to explore a jungle-like atmosphere, with showy flowers and large juicy leaves of bananas, cannas, palms and much more.
The Glasshouse 
A visit to the cathedral-like Glasshouse is a must all year round. Home to the Society’s world-class tender plant collection, it features three climatic zones to explore: tropical, moist temperate and dry temperate. Please check the latest information regarding Covid restrictions and inside spaces.
Heather Landscape
Explore the recently redeveloped Heather Landscape which features the impressive National Collection of over 1,000 heather cultivars and 20,000 individual heather plants. The contemporary planting scheme also features companion plants, such as yuccas, grasses and rosemary.
Family events
A full programme of family-friendly events also run throughout the year, such as half term activities and summer holiday fun, as well as the Glow event each festive season.