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Friends Membership
Gardens free to Friends of Kew
As a Friend of Kew you can gain free admission to fourteen wonderful gardens
around the country, just by showing your membership card. Like Kew and Wakehurst
Place, all are botanic or specialist gardens holding fine plant collections.
So whether you are a plant enthusiast, keen garden visitor, or simply
looking for an enjoyable day out, be sure to make use of your Friends
membership in this way.
Please telephone individual gardens to check opening times.
1. The Lost Gardens of Heligan
Pentewan, St Austell, Cornwall, PL26 6EN
Tel: 01726 845100
website: www.heligan.com
Lost for many years beneath a mass of undergrowth, Heligan has been
magnificently restored in recent years. It offers almost 200 acres for
exploration, including productive gardens brimming with heritage varieties,
pleasure grounds full of ancient trees and shrubs, a subtropical Jungle
valley and outer estate devoted to the interests of wildlife.
2. The Sir Harold Hillier Gardens and Arboretum
Jermyns Lane, Ampfield, Nr Romsey, Hampshire, SO51 0QA
Tel: 01794
369318
website: www.hilliergardens.org.uk
Founded by Sir Harold Hillier in 1953, the Gardens cover 73 hectares,
containing over 42,000 plants, representing one of the largest collections
of hardy trees and shrubs in the British Isles.
3. Bedgebury National Pinetum
Bedgebury, Nr Goudhurst, Kent, TN17 2SL
Tel: 01580 211044
website: www.bedgeburypinetum.org.uk
A magnificent woodland garden with fine conifers, rhododendrons and
eighteen record tree species. Home to the National Collection of Conifers.
4. Dyffryn Gardens and Arboretum
St Nicholas, Vale of Glamorgan, Cardiff CF5 6SU
Tel: 029 2059 3328
website: www.dyffryngardens.org.uk
Twenty-two hectares of Grade I registered Edwardian gardens. Features
include a Pompeiian Garden, 100 metre herbaceous border and Arboretum.
5. Westonbirt The National Arboretum
Tetbury, Gloucestershire GL8 8QS
Tel: 01666 880220
website: www.forestry.gov.uk/westonbirt
The largest arboretum in the British Isles, comprising 600 acres, over
17,000 trees including 130 champion trees and the National Maple Collection.
Westonbirt offers something of interest all year round.
6. University of Oxford Botanic Garden
Rose Lane, Oxford, OX1 4AZ
Tel: 01865 286690
website: www.botanic-garden.ox.ac.uk
The oldest botanic garden in Britain, on the banks of the Cherwell in
Oxford. In two hectares 8,000 plant species, representing almost every
plant family. Featuring 7glasshouses, rock and water gardens and the
National Collection of Euphorbia.
7. Birmingham Botanical Gardens and Glasshouses
Westbourne Road, Edgbaston, Birmingham, B15 3TR
Tel: 0121 454 1860
website: www.birminghambotanicalgardens.org.uk
Six hectares of ornamental gardens, designed
by J C Loudon and
opened in 1832. Features include four glasshouses - Tropical, Subtropical,
Mediterranean and Arid House. The National Collection of Bonsai also resides
in the Gardens.
8. Ness Botanic Gardens
University of Liverpool, Ness, Neston, South Wirral, CH64 4AY
Tel: 0151 353 0123
website: www.nessgardens.org.uk
Founded in 1898 by A K Bulley, these Gardens were handed over to the
University of Liverpool in 1948, and contain a wide variety of plants made
possible by the mild climate and acid soil. Extensive collections of rhododendrons,
azaleas, heathers and primulas.
9. Castle Howard Grounds and Castle Howard Arboretum Trust
York, YO60 7DA
Tel: 01653 648333 Castle Howard Ground website: www.castlehoward.co.uk
Tel: 01653648650 / 01653648598 Castle Howard Arboretum Trust: www.kewatch.co.uk
The magnificent landscaped grounds of Castle Howard contain many 18th
and 19th century features, including a walled rose garden and Ray Wood.
The modern, 150-acre arboretum, an independent charitable trust, is jointly
managed by Kew and the Castle Howard Estate. The Arboretum Trust also
curates the extensive botanical collections in Ray Wood.
Please note: Friends of Kew are not entitled to free entry to the house at Castle Howard.
10. Holehird Gardens
Lakeland Horticultural Society, Patterdale Road, Windermere, LA23
1NP
Tel: 01539 446008
website: www.holehirdgardens.org.uk
A 10-acre garden run entirely by volunteers, promoting the knowledge
of plants particularly suited to Lakeland conditions. Overlooking Windermere,
the Gardens contain fine specimen trees and shrubs, a walled garden with
excellent herbaceous borders. There are extensive rock and heather gardens.
The alpine and tufa houses are of particular interest. The garden is home
to three National Collections: Astilbe, Hydrangea and Polystichum.
11. Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh
Inverleith Row, Edinburgh, EH3 5LR
Tel: 0131 552
7171
website: www.rbge.org.uk
A world-famous botanic garden set on a hillside, enjoying magnificent
views across the city. Renowned for its Rock Garden and the Glasshouse
Experience (10 different temperate and tropical glasshouses). Entry to
the garden is free to all, but Friends of Kew receive a 10% discount in
the Botanics Shop and free entry to the Glasshouses.
Friends of Kew also gain free admission to the three regional gardens of the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh
12. Benmore Botanic Garden
Dunoon, Argyll, PA23 8QU
Tel: 01369 706261
Located in a mountainous landscape on the Cowal Peninsula, Benmore
is famous for its extensive range of trees and shrubs, including hundreds
of rhododendron species and a fine collection of conifers. Most impressive
is the spectacular avenue of Giant Redwoods, planted in 1863.
13. Logan Botanic Garden
Port Logan, Stranraer, Dumfries and Galloway, DG9 9ND
Tel: 01776 860231
Established over 100 years ago as a kitchen garden, Logan retains
its traditional walled design, and today contains a wide array of southern
hemisphere plants. The climate here is exceptionally mild, providing the
ideal environment for plants such as tree ferns, cabbage palms and other
unusual sub-tropical plants.
14. Dawyck Botanic Garden
Stobo, Near Pebbles, Scottish Borders, EH45 9JU
Tel: 01721 760254
A large collection of impressive mature trees provides a fine setting
for a variety of flowering trees, shrubs and herbaceous plants. Burnside
walks pass through mature woodland rich in wildlife.