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Wakehurst
Wild botanic garden, managed by Kew and home to the Millennium Seed Bank
Ardingly, Haywards Heath, West Sussex, RH17 6TN
Important notice
Pre-booking is required for entry to Wakehurst between 19 Oct - 3 Nov as the site is expected to be busy. This helps with car park management and avoiding turning visitors away on busy days.
Opening times for 21 November 2024
Asset Opening time Garden 10:00 - 16:30 Millennium Seed Bank 10:00 - 16:30 Seeds Café 10:00 - 16:30 Shop 10:00 - 17:00 Stables Kitchen 10:00 - 16:00 Last admission time to the garden is 30 mins before close.
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Ticket type Gift aid Standard Adult £16.50 Become a member and discover more than 500 places
Available for functions
Kiosk
The Pantry Kiosk offers energy-boosting snacks, locally sourced cakes and pastries, as well as grab-and-go drinks.
Café
Licensed for civil weddings
Car park
Plant shop
Coffee shop
Restaurant
Dogs allowed
Shop
Guided tour
Toilet
Designated mobility parking near visitor centre. Accessible toilets and accessible paths. Wheelchair and mobility scooters. Parking charges apply to National Trust members.
Accessible route and/or map
Many accessible paths on site
Level access to food outlet
Accessible toilet
Level access to shop
Designated parking
Level access/terrain
Drop-off point
Seating available
Induction loop
Wheelchairs available
By road
M23 junction 10, on B2028 near Ardingly More info on the parking charges on the Kew website.
Parking: 50 yards from entrance. NT Members enjoy free entry to the gardens, but car parking charges apply as a contribution to RBG Kew’s plant science, conservation and horticultural work. Wakehurst and Kew members and day paying visitors: free. Minibuses of school children on formal education visits: free. Group visits in coaches park for free if 50% or more of the passengers pay for entry, otherwise £50 p/coach.
On foot
footpath from Balcombe (4 miles)
By train
Haywards Heath 6 miles; East Grinstead 6 miles
By bus
from Haywards Heath to Crawley, passing Haywards Heath train station and Three Bridges train station. 272 Crawley - Brighton (Royal Sussex County Hospital)
By bicycle
Planning your visit
Find out more about planning your visit using the links below to the Wakehurst website.
Planning your visit to Wakehurst
Please visit the Wakehurst website to view parking charges, book your tickets and plan your visit. National Trust members must bring their membership card to gain entry. Parking charges apply to National Trust members.
Dog walks with a difference
Wakehurst is now open to dogs, responding to feedback following recent dog walking trials.
Group visits to Wakehurst
Come as a group of 10 or more and enjoy discounted entry. You can arrange a private tour for your group with a volunteer guide.
School visits to Wakehurst
Wakehurst offers curriculum-linked education sessions for schools, universities or colleges, with sessions available for all ages, abilities and learning needs, from early years to key stage 5.
Highlights
Formal Mansion gardens
Formal gardens overflowing with important and diverse plant collections, vibrant scents, bursts of colour and botanical delights.
Native and global landscape
Explore the gardens at Wakehurst that stretch across 500 acres. Experience sights, smells, and sounds from botanic landscapes across the planet, from native meadows, temperate woodlands and stunning wetlands. Take in the spring bluebells and blossoming summer spectacles to riots of autumn colour and winter-frost serenity.
Mansion
Wakehurst is home to one the UK’s largest outdoor art installations, Planet Wakehurst, by artist Catherine Nelson. The wrap is covering the Elizabethan mansion whilst essential roof works take place, Planet Wakehurst is a celebration of our wild botanic garden with a built-in viewing platform 33ft high offering visitors an outlook across Wakehurst and beyond.
Millennium Seed Bank
The Millennium Seed Bank is a treasure trove of scientific excellence. Hiding an underground collection of over 2.4 billion seeds from around the world, banking them to conserve them for the future.
Dog walking
You are welcome to bring your four-legged friends for walks across our 500-acre wild botanic garden at Wakehurst. Take your furry friend on a specially curated dog-walking route that takes in our sights, sounds and smells.
Eating
Enjoy food, hot drinks and treats at Wakehurst's cafés and restaurants. (Not NT)
Shopping and Plant Centre
Browse a range of gifts, books and homeware at the visit centre shop. Or get your seasonal plants inspired by the collections at the plant centre. (Not NT)
Family-friendly
With more than 500 acres of gardens, woodlands and natural play spaces, there are plenty of things for families to do at Wakehurst — and kids go free! Each school holiday join a superhero squad, learn a new skill every half term and become a hero for the natural world.
Things to see and do
National Trust members must bring their membership card to gain entry. Parking charges apply to National Trust members. Please visit the Wakehurst website to view parking charges, book your tickets and plan your visit.
Water Gardens
Journey through interconnected water-based gardens and see rock roses, magnolias, lilies and the Iris Dell with over 60 varieties of Japanese water iris.
Walled Garden
The Walled Garden is an intimate space, an expression of the English Country Garden style, and full of soft, subtle colours; it's packed with bulbs in the spring and flowering until the hard frosts come in November.
Temperate Woodlands
Enjoy a walk through the temperate woodlands of the world and see giant redwoods, hickories, gum trees and even the ‘dinosaur’ of trees – the Wollemi pine.
Meadows and Prairies
Go on a journey to North America, this vibrant grassland evokes the vast and iconic North American wild plant communities. Your gaze will stretch out across Wakehurst, with views of the Water Gardens and Coronation Meadow.
Mansion
Whilst the mansion is currently undergoing an extensive roof restoration, take in Planet Wakehurst, a bespoke photo montage from artist Catherine Nelson.
Millennium Seed Bank exhibition
The Millennium Seed Bank hides an underground collection of over 2.4 billion seeds from around the world, banking them to conserve them for the future. Enter the glass atrium to see our scientists at work in front of your very eyes.
Family-friendly activities
With more than 500 acres of gardens, woodlands and outdoor activities, there is plenty for families to do at Wakehurst — and kids go free. Each school holiday, join the Nature Hero squad and complete a new nature saving mission or return over the winter months for Glow Wild, Sussex’s ultimate festive lantern trail.
Nature Heroes
Every half term and school holiday, young adventurers will have the opportunity to become a planet-saving Nature Hero. Put on your cape, join the mission and collect unique new badges.
Eating
Eating and drinking at Wakehurst
Enjoy hot food and treats and a little something for your canine companion at the cafes and restaurants at Wakehurst. (Not NT)
Shopping
Shopping at Wakehurst
The Visitor Centre shop and Plant Centre are open with a range of gifts, plants, books and homeware. (Not NT)
Spotlight events
Events at Wakehurst
Festivals, family events and workshops run throughout the year. Visit the events page on the Wakehurst website to find out more.
Places to stay
Find a National Trust holiday cottage near Wakehurst Place
Woodlands Cottage
A former game keeper’s house, this classically-styled cottage is surrounded by woodland.
The Morris Apartment
A one-bedroom apartment in trademark Arts and Crafts style, on the second floor of Standen House.
Welbeck Cottage
Nestled on the vast Sheffield Park estate in the glorious Sussex countryside, this gardener’s cottage puts you at the heart of the historic parkland.
Upcoming events
Sorry, there are no upcoming events at this place
About Wakehurst
Please visit the Wakehurst website to view parking charges, book your tickets and plan your visit. National Trust members must bring their membership card to gain entry. Parking charges apply to National Trust members.