A leisurely Sunday afternoon at RHS Garden Wisley

This is a leisurely Sunday afternoon exploring the stunning RHS garden in Wisley, Surrey which 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 one 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 ‘Danger and Desire – the Seductive Power of Orchids’ which delves into the seductive allure of one of the largest plant families. 

Battleston Hill: A showcase for rhododendrons, camellias, magnolias, and hydrangeas with a stunning array of spring 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? 

Only assistance dogs are allowed in the garden. 

New Members

Please feel free to join this as your first OutdoorLads event. If you have any questions then feel free to message me, or go to the "My First Event" section under "About Us".

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

IMPORTANT! - Participation Statement

You MUST complete a Participation Statement, in addition to booking your event space before attending an OutdoorLads event. You only need to complete this Participation Statement once, not for each event you attend.