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Wheatley
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Waterperry Gardens

Waterperry Gardens, Wheatley: Hours, Address, Waterperry Gardens Reviews: 4/5

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Waterperry Gardens

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Waterperry Gardens
4
355
#1 of 5 things to do in Wheatley
Gardens
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10:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Monday
10:00 AM - 5:30 PM
Tuesday
10:00 AM - 5:30 PM
Wednesday
10:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Thursday
10:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Friday
10:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Saturday
10:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Sunday
10:00 AM - 5:30 PM
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About
Waterperry Gardens - eight acres of beautifully landscaped ornamental gardens, including rose and alpine gardens and one of the country's finest herbaceous borders. Plant Centre, Garden Shop, Gift Barn, Gallery, Rural Life Museum and Teashop for home-baked lunches and cakes. Events throughout the year and arts, crafts and gardening courses.
Suggested duration
More than 3 hours
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What is Travelers’ Choice?
Tripadvisor gives a Travelers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travelers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.

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The area
Address
Best nearby
Restaurants
28 within 3 miles
Waterperry Gardens
66
0.2 mi$$ - $$$ • Cafe • British • Vegetarian Friendly
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0.9 mi
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1
0.9 mi
Welcome Break J8 M40
9
0.9 miBritish
The Fox & Goat Bar Restaurant and Rooms
417
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667
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41 within 6 miles
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321
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Points of Interest & Landmarks
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1
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Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information.
Popular mentions
4.0
356 reviews
Excellent
167
Very good
134
Average
29
Poor
15
Terrible
11
Carol P
Sandy, UK41 contributions
Not worth the money as there are add ons
Don't use the cafe take a picnic. Expensive menu and drinks there should be a kiosk as you go round the gardens and have to go all the way back just for a drink. More for those who have a disability or in a wheelchair shouldn't have to fight to push through gravel lumps and bumps and slopes
Written July 18, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
nnmercman
Camberley, UK13,261 contributions
Pleasant afternoon
The gardens are conveniently located just off the M40 at J8. Although our visit coincided with the long dry summer spell, there was still plenty of colour and plants to see around the gardens. This was our first visit as RHS members (free admission on Fridays) and we’ll probably revisit towards the end of spring to see everything in fuller bloom. I liked the idea of having rows of the same plants but different varieties (eg Asters) so you can get an idea of what might be suitable for your own garden.

Plenty of parking and there’s a modern toilet block in the car park, large tea room/cafe, an interesting rural life museum plus large plant sales area. You can picnic on the large lawn area behind the cafe but not in the actual gardens (you don’t need to purchase an entry ticket for the cafe, rural life museum, plant sales or picnic area).
Written August 5, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Paul B
Pinner, UK180 contributions
Beautiful gardens
We visited these gardens whilst visiting the 'Celebrating Ceramics' show.

Despite the very high temperatures currently being experienced, the gardens and flower borders were in fantastic condition; such a beautiful display.

Definitely worth a return visit
Written July 19, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
FellowTraveler792968
London, UK57 contributions
Break from M40 journey
Made a passing visit as break whilst travelling on the M40. What a find! Lovely gardens/tea rooms and a small museum with a knowledgeable pleasant gentlemen to show you round and tell you about the different items. Look for the rose sign about junction 8
Written July 24, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
M A
Henley-on-Thames, UK222 contributions
Not for a winter view except the brillaint museum.
At £6 each adult, there are few plants to see in the formal gardens. The rest is free. The small garden shop is OK. There are a couple of other shops which are pricey. Good café. The best feature (5 star) is Gordon's small museum of mainly agricultural items from the past.
Written February 28, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Simon B
Thank you. I will pass on your praise to Gordon.
Written March 2, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
gavin
Market Harborough, UK108 contributions
Poor cafe experience
Having been here several times before we booked a table in the cafe on Monday to enjoy a lunch with friends who had never been and then explore the gardens. The website describes what a great place to go for food and light lunches, but when we arrived at 12.45pm there was a sign up saying salads sold out and the only hot food being served were jacket potatoes. We were given wooden cutlery and the potatoes were put in a plastic container and frankly this was a huge disappointment based on previous visits. What has happened to the hot food dishes you used to do? The staff are there, the equipment is there and the customers are there but your just not bothering anymore it seems.
Written August 25, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Simon B
Dear Gavin, We have had to respond to Covid-19 and the restrictions that come with it. Therefore the menu is limited and cutlery is disposable. We also have very unpredictable days customer wise with this weather and the salads are the first things to go. I am sorry that your experience was not as good as that experienced previously. We will be moving the teashop to the house in October so that will be interesting and different. There will be more hot food available then. Someday we will be back to normal I hope.
Written August 26, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Hugo1512
1 contribution
A complete disappointment
Couples
Arrived on a Sunday lunchtime to enjoy a walk with our baby & dog. Website read that although the ornate gardens were out of bounds for a dog walk, there was “8 acres of land to walk through”. Not true. This is the area which you have to pay for and aren’t allowed a dog through. Before I discovered this, I arrived at the gift shop to ask a lady where we could walk. She was extremely rude when I asked (politely) where we could walk our spaniel. She spoke down to me as though I was something she’d scraped off her shoe!! My jaw dropped to the floor with how terribly she’d spoken to us. I’d barely left her desk before she looked back at her work, as though I’d interrupted her day. I get the impression this place is for a certain type of clientele and if you don’t fit the mould, they’re not interested. Some might say “snobby”. This place is a real disappointment - nothing special and so I wouldn’t recommend a trip there. It’s worth noting that I haven’t left a negative review for many years but felt compelled to after such an awful experience.
Written July 5, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Simon B
Dear Hugo151290, I am sorry that you had a bad experience with us. Our staff are usually polite but I guess everybody has an off day. Please accept my apologies. Just to be clear: dogs on leads are allowed everywhere on the estate except in the formal gardens. This is clearly stated on the front page of the website. I would love to allow dogs in the formal gardens, and have a sausage dog myself, but it is not possible to keep up the high standard of horticultural excellence if we do. with best wishes, Simon
Written August 3, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Helen H
13 contributions
Lovely gardens and great rural life museum close to Oxford.
Couples
The gardens were lovely to wander around and borders were colourful and well laid out. The sausage roll from the farm shop was delicious and there’s also a cafe and garden centre.
However the real gem is the museum of rural life which is beautifully presented and curated by Gordon Dempster.
Written August 27, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
DebbieNix
Oxford, UK77 contributions
A very special afternoon!!
We really enjoyed a stroll around Waterperry's beautiful, peaceful gardens.
This was followed by "High Tea" at the tea room which I would thoroughly recommend. The staff were friendly and very welcoming and the food was plentiful, delicious and very fresh. You need to pre-book the afternoon tea options but it was definitely worth doing so. The table had been set for us with a pretty cloth etc and it felt like a real treat. Having had afternoon tea at many other places, I felt that £16 per person here was great value too. A big THANK YOU to Nicky and her team.
Written July 5, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Simon B
Thank you Debbie I will pass on your praise to the teashop team.
Written August 3, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Catherine Erskine
1 contribution
Don't miss the Museum of Rural Life
Couples
Great garden and excellent plant sales with some rarities. All of excellent quality.
Highlight for us was Gordon, who has worked at Waterperry for 48 years and now manages the Museum of Rural Life. His enthusiasm and knowledge is remarkable. A fantastic collection of artefacts.
Written August 25, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
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Frequently Asked Questions about Waterperry Gardens
Waterperry Gardens is open:
  • Sun - Tue 10:00 AM - 5:30 PM
  • Wed - Sat 10:00 AM - 6:00 PM