Walled Gardens of Cannington
Walled Gardens of Cannington
Walled Gardens of Cannington
4
10:00 AM - 3:00 PM
Tuesday
10:00 AM - 3:00 PM
Wednesday
10:00 AM - 3:00 PM
Thursday
10:00 AM - 3:00 PM
Friday
10:00 AM - 3:00 PM
Saturday
10:00 AM - 3:00 PM
Sunday
10:00 AM - 3:00 PM
About
Located in the village of Cannington, Somerset, the Walled Gardens lie within the grounds of a medieval priory and many of its fine buildings, including the walls of the garden, remain. Last entry to the gardens is 1 hour prior to closure. Having undergone extensive redevelopment, the gardens were officially opened by HRH the Earl of Wessex, Prince Edward in 2009 and have also been accredited as a ‘quality assured visitor attraction' by VisitEngland. The gardens are also a Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) recommended garden. The gardens have classic and contemporary features such as; the 'hot' herbaceous border; the blue garden; a sub-tropical walk; and a Victorian style fernery, amongst others. There is also a botanical glasshouse where arid, sub-tropical and tropical plants can be seen and two smaller gardens within the walls (The Bishop's and Australasian Gardens) are areas of real tranquility.
Duration: 2-3 hours
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- Malcolm N9 contributionsTruly a hidden gemThe words ‘a hidden gem’ often overused but this truly IS a hidden gem, in a slightly off the beaten track location..The gardens are quite small, probably only 3 or 4 acres, but are full of beautiful plants in a series of themed areas. The plants and trees are all really well labelled with both the common and scientific names so if you like something unfamiliar you can looking it up afterwards. There’s also a huge greenhouse with a tropical section so even on a rainy day the gardens are well worth a visit. On the practical side, there’s only a small number of parking spaces so if you come on a busy day it may be best to park in the village. The gardens are dog friendly and there’s a small cafe with indoor and outdoor seating. There are plant sales including some unusual specimens like Echium Pininana and a small shop. It’s only £5 admission and if you live in or regularly visit the south west an annual ticket is great value at an amazing £16 or £30 for two people.Visited October 2023Traveled as a coupleWritten November 7, 2023
- Nick S3 contributionsGardener & Cleaner 10, Administration 0We were given an annual season ticket as a Christmas present and made the 40 minute drive for our first visit, having checked the website before leaving which confirmed a 10 am opening time. On arrival at approx 10.15 am both the tea room and gardens had "Closed" signs with no explanation or revised timings. A cleaner emerged from the tea room saying she thought it was closed due to staff shortages and that this, or sickness, also accounted for the gardens themselves being closed. She found a gardener for us who apologised and let us in, and we then very much enjoyed having the gardens to ourselves! No tea room or gift shop on the day but lovely garden and we look forward to returning later in the year when we might even have the chance of a cuppa!Visited February 2024Traveled as a coupleWritten February 6, 2024
- denise lBexhill-on-Sea, United Kingdom593 contributionsPleasant garden but tea room too slowPleasant garden areas and apparently has the only glasshouse in Somerset. Very reasonably priced at £7. Some areas needed attention such as deadheading. Taking the entrance fee was a bit strange as the till didn't work with credit cards so it was left on a matter of trust that people would pay in the tea room and wee then tried to pay in the tea room without success. We couldn't understand how slow the cafe was as I tried to order a pasty and was told it would be 40 minutes! 40 minutes to heat up a pasty so didn't bother. We then had to wait around 25 minutes for a coffee and tea to arrive and it was fairly quiet. Rather painful.Visited June 2024Traveled as a coupleWritten June 30, 2024
- Amberose10 contributionsUnusual plants with a huge themed greenhouseUnusual and interesting plants. Peaceful spot. Good cafe. Large greenhouse themed to different climate zones with fishes. Parking might be tricky but worth parking on the road. Garden and cafe run by local college to train students. Enjoyed.Visited July 2024Traveled with friendsWritten July 25, 2024
- RubyWelshBridgwater, United Kingdom112 contributionsA passionately cared for environmentHad a full tour of these beautiful gardens as part of a staff day out. This place is a hidden gem tucked away in the heart of Cannington. For anyone who appreciates plants, greenery and a pleasant, relaxing, quiet environment, must visit the Walled Gardens of Cannington. They have a botanical, tropical greenhouse and exotic plants to purchase all at reasonable prices. There is also ample places to sit and admire such beautiful surroundings. The tea room is also a lovely place to rest and relax after a pleasant, dreamy wander. The entire place is passionately cared for, you wouldn't want to leave.Visited July 2024Traveled on businessWritten August 14, 2024
- RobsGoodlifeSaffron Walden, United Kingdom56 contributionsBrilliant facilityPlant lovers and students alike will find this a fulfilling experience to view a huge range of plants in a compact setting that the college must be very pround of. Whilst not a pristine display in all seasons it is a great way to see many plants from all over the world in a British garden setting. This is very informative in itself because it enables one to see how the plants can be used in everyday situations. Additionally there are greenhouse displays which are fantastic and instructional in themselves. The staff here must be very proud of themselves and I hope the students studying horticulture appreciate the facility they have. Needless to say cafe very handy for a sandwich or refreshments. A very pleasant start to a very enjoyable visit.Visited August 2024Traveled as a coupleWritten August 21, 2024
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
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4.0
236 reviews
Excellent
115
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78
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9
Grace R
Exeter, UK25 contributions
Oct 2022
I took the children to the Halloween event at the Walled Gardens of Cannington.
Very well organised and we loved the decorations. The trail was the best. The kids loved searching for the pictures. For £8, we had access to the garden, an activity booklet including the trail, sweets, crayons, drink, crisps and a pumpkin which we could carve on site. There was also a fab face painting lady located in the glass house. I was surprised how big the pumpkins were - considering the terrible drought we've had this year and with most other pumpkins elsewhere being so small as a result, the kids were delighted with these ones! Lovely tearoom selling hotdogs, cake, soup etc. Always enjoy coming here.
Very well organised and we loved the decorations. The trail was the best. The kids loved searching for the pictures. For £8, we had access to the garden, an activity booklet including the trail, sweets, crayons, drink, crisps and a pumpkin which we could carve on site. There was also a fab face painting lady located in the glass house. I was surprised how big the pumpkins were - considering the terrible drought we've had this year and with most other pumpkins elsewhere being so small as a result, the kids were delighted with these ones! Lovely tearoom selling hotdogs, cake, soup etc. Always enjoy coming here.
Written October 26, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
denise l
Bexhill-on-Sea, UK593 contributions
Jun 2024 • Couples
Pleasant garden areas and apparently has the only glasshouse in Somerset. Very reasonably priced at £7. Some areas needed attention such as deadheading. Taking the entrance fee was a bit strange as the till didn't work with credit cards so it was left on a matter of trust that people would pay in the tea room and wee then tried to pay in the tea room without success. We couldn't understand how slow the cafe was as I tried to order a pasty and was told it would be 40 minutes! 40 minutes to heat up a pasty so didn't bother. We then had to wait around 25 minutes for a coffee and tea to arrive and it was fairly quiet. Rather painful.
Written June 30, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Malcolm N
9 contributions
Oct 2023 • Couples
The words ‘a hidden gem’ often overused but this truly IS a hidden gem, in a slightly off the beaten track location..The gardens are quite small, probably only 3 or 4 acres, but are full of beautiful plants in a series of themed areas. The plants and trees are all really well labelled with both the common and scientific names so if you like something unfamiliar you can looking it up afterwards. There’s also a huge greenhouse with a tropical section so even on a rainy day the gardens are well worth a visit.
On the practical side, there’s only a small number of parking spaces so if you come on a busy day it may be best to park in the village. The gardens are dog friendly and there’s a small cafe with indoor and outdoor seating. There are plant sales including some unusual specimens like Echium Pininana and a small shop. It’s only £5 admission and if you live in or regularly visit the south west an annual ticket is great value at an amazing £16 or £30 for two people.
On the practical side, there’s only a small number of parking spaces so if you come on a busy day it may be best to park in the village. The gardens are dog friendly and there’s a small cafe with indoor and outdoor seating. There are plant sales including some unusual specimens like Echium Pininana and a small shop. It’s only £5 admission and if you live in or regularly visit the south west an annual ticket is great value at an amazing £16 or £30 for two people.
Written November 7, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Rachel L
Bath, UK32 contributions
Apr 2024 • Friends
I hate leaving negative reviews, but needs must. We drove 1.5 hours to visit the gardens on a NGS open day. As we approached we were impressed that parking was well organised and the wisteria-clad outbuildings were a promise of even better things to come on the inside. But what an utter disappointment. We noticed the little tea room on our way in, and popped in for a cup of tea and a light lunch. We were told that there was a bit of a wait for lunch, which was fine, but waited 25 minutes for a cup of tea, and almost 50 minutes for a plain jacket potato and a spoonful of baked beans. There were two girls running the tea room; one had to leave repeatedly to sell tickets in the shop, and the other span in circles in the kitchen not knowing what to do next, and was completing individual orders singly. One table were brought each person's food five minutes apart. The tea rooms were half full; I dread to think how they'd fare if every table was taken. We ate our food in ten minutes so as not to miss the gardens.
And when it came to those, underwhelming is an understatement. As keen gardeners we love to visit gardens to draw inspiration, to be nosy and say, 'Ooh look at that!' It's great to be inspired by days out. But honestly, other than half a dozen browning tulips under a tree, and a mass of dead hellebores there was nothing to see. Borders were full of weeds with perennials just making an appearance through the bare earth. The 'blue' garden was decidedly green and brown, and the summer house was cordoned off with builder's barriers. We did see a lovely house over the walls, but discovered that this was across the main road and nothing to do with Cannington. The gravel and pathways were nice and the lawn had been mown. That was it. We spent less time in the garden than the tea room, and disappointed just wanted to go home. Why open a garden in Spring with no Spring planting and nothing for visitors to see? What a waste of time, energy and money. How can this be an RHS garden? Honestly on the drive home through the villages we saw pretty rockeries, spring-flowering bulbs and trees full of blossom in people's front gardens that far outstripped anything at Cannington.
And when it came to those, underwhelming is an understatement. As keen gardeners we love to visit gardens to draw inspiration, to be nosy and say, 'Ooh look at that!' It's great to be inspired by days out. But honestly, other than half a dozen browning tulips under a tree, and a mass of dead hellebores there was nothing to see. Borders were full of weeds with perennials just making an appearance through the bare earth. The 'blue' garden was decidedly green and brown, and the summer house was cordoned off with builder's barriers. We did see a lovely house over the walls, but discovered that this was across the main road and nothing to do with Cannington. The gravel and pathways were nice and the lawn had been mown. That was it. We spent less time in the garden than the tea room, and disappointed just wanted to go home. Why open a garden in Spring with no Spring planting and nothing for visitors to see? What a waste of time, energy and money. How can this be an RHS garden? Honestly on the drive home through the villages we saw pretty rockeries, spring-flowering bulbs and trees full of blossom in people's front gardens that far outstripped anything at Cannington.
Written April 25, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for your feedback.
Having spoken with the tearoom staff, they confirmed that there were a number of visitors that day who all arrived to order food at the same time. As you confirm, the tearoom staff were very honest with you about the wait time for food. Many of our repeat visitors choose to spend a short time in the garden first, returning to the tearoom for food once the ‘rush’ has died down. This is testament to the popularity of this small tearoom which provides light refreshments to our visitors at affordable prices.
The walled garden is staffed by a small, dedicated team together with support from a few willing and able volunteers. As a keen gardener, you will appreciate that spring flowering bulbs and bedding plants are near the end of their life cycle whilst perennials are yet to make an appearance. It is such a shame that you did not take the time to see what else the Garden has to offer: the botanical glasshouse (the only one in Somerset), the willow dragon and the Dry Garden, the Sub-tropical Walk or the Mediterranean Garden.
During the year, the gardens provide a fitting backstop for events such as weddings, adult and children’s open-air theatre and other seasonal events.
We hope you will choose to visit the Walled Gardens again and take time to appreciate all that the Gardens have to offer.
Written May 20, 2024
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Eliza
Nether Stowey, UK30 contributions
Jul 2023 • Solo
Lovely gardens with a huge array of plants and well tended.
Also visited the shop and tea room.
A very helpful young man in the tea room but was confused by the pricing of the sandwiches. If you have a cheese and ham sandwich toasted it costs an extra 70p but if you have a cheese and tomato sandwich toasted it costs 80p ( confused as to why it costs that much to toast a sandwich and why some sandwiches are cheaper to toast ) and a side salad costs £1.50, most cafes this comes free with the food.
The coffee was very good though.
Also visited the shop and tea room.
A very helpful young man in the tea room but was confused by the pricing of the sandwiches. If you have a cheese and ham sandwich toasted it costs an extra 70p but if you have a cheese and tomato sandwich toasted it costs 80p ( confused as to why it costs that much to toast a sandwich and why some sandwiches are cheaper to toast ) and a side salad costs £1.50, most cafes this comes free with the food.
The coffee was very good though.
Written July 14, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
HampshireHog0504
Hook, UK13 contributions
Sep 2022
In visiting the Walled Garden in late September, we probably didn't see the garden at its best, especially after the summer we have just had. Admittedly, some parts do look tired and in need of some maintenance. However, this did not detract from the marvel of the place. When you first arrive, you feel as if you are entering a very small garden, but as you wander around, you simply meet new areas of delight. The gardens open up in to areas of specific interest, with an arid zone, hot house and aquarium to a larger are in front of the Priory. There is history around, with the Bishop's garden and an old Priority in the throws of renovation. There is an awe of wonder about the place, with a sense of history. But we mustn't forget that this is a place of work and study and to see so many young people learning their horticultural, gardening or landscaping skills, is very encouraging. this was not something we were expecting to see in Cannington.
As visitors to the region, we received a lot of local advice from the lady in the café. She recommended the Plough In at Holford. A very good recommendation, (a favourable review is on TripAdviser), and ways to avoid the traffic in Bridgewater given it was fair time. The gardeners we spoke were also very friendly and interesting to talk to. Overall, we enjoyed our visit to these quaint gardens.
As visitors to the region, we received a lot of local advice from the lady in the café. She recommended the Plough In at Holford. A very good recommendation, (a favourable review is on TripAdviser), and ways to avoid the traffic in Bridgewater given it was fair time. The gardeners we spoke were also very friendly and interesting to talk to. Overall, we enjoyed our visit to these quaint gardens.
Written October 1, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
GibBob
Blandford Forum, UK408 contributions
Oct 2020
Lovely gardens with plenty of interest, set out in "rooms" with a different theme/hemisphere - well maintained. Unfortunately we had a very wet day so didn't see it at its best, in good weather it would be a real treat and worth the journey. There are plants for sale, which are of good quality and reasonably priced. Very helpful staff who were willing to answer questions and research detail for us.
There is a small tearoom adjoining the garden, good adherence to Covid-19 rules and very reasonable prices.
There is a small tearoom adjoining the garden, good adherence to Covid-19 rules and very reasonable prices.
Written October 12, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hi GibBob,
Thank you for taking the time to leave a review. We really appreciate your feedback and hope that you'll visit us again when the weather is a bit better!
Thanks
Written October 15, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
RobsGoodlife
Saffron Walden, UK56 contributions
Aug 2024 • Couples
Plant lovers and students alike will find this a fulfilling experience to view a huge range of plants in a compact setting that the college must be very pround of.
Whilst not a pristine display in all seasons it is a great way to see many plants from all over the world in a British garden setting. This is very informative in itself because it enables one to see how the plants can be used in everyday situations. Additionally there are greenhouse displays which are fantastic and instructional in themselves.
The staff here must be very proud of themselves and I hope the students studying horticulture appreciate the facility they have.
Needless to say cafe very handy for a sandwich or refreshments. A very pleasant start to a very enjoyable visit.
Whilst not a pristine display in all seasons it is a great way to see many plants from all over the world in a British garden setting. This is very informative in itself because it enables one to see how the plants can be used in everyday situations. Additionally there are greenhouse displays which are fantastic and instructional in themselves.
The staff here must be very proud of themselves and I hope the students studying horticulture appreciate the facility they have.
Needless to say cafe very handy for a sandwich or refreshments. A very pleasant start to a very enjoyable visit.
Written August 21, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
RubyWelsh
Bridgwater, UK112 contributions
Jul 2024 • Business
Had a full tour of these beautiful gardens as part of a staff day out. This place is a hidden gem tucked away in the heart of Cannington. For anyone who appreciates plants, greenery and a pleasant, relaxing, quiet environment, must visit the Walled Gardens of Cannington. They have a botanical, tropical greenhouse and exotic plants to purchase all at reasonable prices. There is also ample places to sit and admire such beautiful surroundings. The tea room is also a lovely place to rest and relax after a pleasant, dreamy wander. The entire place is passionately cared for, you wouldn't want to leave.
Written August 14, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jeff F
Harpenden, UK1,261 contributions
May 2023 • Couples
The beautiful Walled Gardens of Cannington in Somerset, were officially opened in 2009 by the then HRH the Earl of Wessex (now Duke of Edinburgh). We visited in May 2023 and it was a sunny and warm day which made visiting the gardens an extra special experience. Lots of wonderful and exotic plants to see, enjoy and photograph, if that takes your fancy. The blue garden is a lovely feature and the cacti house full of interesting specimens loads more than that with a wonderful lawn in the centre. Very relaxing too.
Written May 21, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hi, we are open all year round. Current opening times are 10am-3pm Tuesday to Saturday. Follow us on Facebook for up to date notifications.
Written January 7, 2020
Hi Karen it was £4 each but we had a 2 for 1 card from the May edition of Gardeners World they do one every May its got hundreds of gardens all over the UK.
Written June 10, 2018
Hi, dogs are more than welcome to visit the gardens and tearooms. We do ask that that they remain on a lead at all times and that consideration is given to other customers in the tearoom. We are now open seven days a week and during February we are offering free entry to the gardens when you buy any hot drink in the tearoom. It is a lovely place to bring your best friend for a walk, we look forward to welcoming you soon.
Written February 8, 2017
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