Hergest Croft Gardens
Hergest Croft Gardens
4.5
11:00 AM - 4:30 PM
Monday
11:00 AM - 4:30 PM
Tuesday
11:00 AM - 4:30 PM
Wednesday
11:00 AM - 4:30 PM
Thursday
11:00 AM - 4:30 PM
Friday
11:00 AM - 4:30 PM
Saturday
11:00 AM - 4:30 PM
Sunday
11:00 AM - 4:30 PM
About
Created over 120 years by four generations of the same family, this 70 acre garden in the heart of the Welsh Marches contains more than 5,000 rare trees and shrubs, 130 'Champion Trees' as well as holding the National Collections of Birches, Maples and Zelkovas. The gardens are open weekends only in March and then daily from Good Friday to 31st October 2024, from 11.00 to 4.30pm. The gardens are closed to the public during the winter season. (October until March) The Spring Plant Fair on Monday 6 May 2024 from 10 to 5 with 50 Exhibitors including a huge range of rare and unusual plants, crafts and food stalls. The Autumn Plant Fair is on Sunday 13th October 2024 from 10 to 4.30. Maples Tearoom is also open every day serving a wonderful selection of refreshments. Don't forget to look at our wonderful plants for sale and our gift shop, both of these and the tearoom can be visited without paying entrance to the garden. Dogs welcome on a lead in the gardens and tearoom.
Duration: 2-3 hours
Meets animal welfare guidelines
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- Christopher B5 contributionsMagnificent gardensWe were pleasantly surprised by how expansive the gardens are, had a wonderful time discovering all of the different areas. After a very helpful introduction by the gentleman on the ticket desk, we followed the suggested route and don't think we missed anything, allow plenty of time. There is a wide range of types of garden and woodland spaces, including some rare and unusual trees and shrubs. The tearoom was perfectly adequate with very friendly staff.Visited September 2023Travelled as a coupleWritten 26 September 2023
- GeordienielPuget Theniers, France341 contributionsNot to badMy wife and I had a day out at the gardens, worth the £8.50 each. Gardens are very well-maintained and have lots of different species to see. I would say the only down side is not rubbish bins through the Gardens, we had out dog with use and I had to carry the poo bag for most of the walk which took us 45mins. The only bin I found was at the reception at the main house. Apart from that worth a visitVisited June 2024Travelled as a coupleWritten 6 June 2024
- Stella6 contributionsLovelyBeautiful gardens, a fantastic place to explore, relaxing, inspiring and very good value. it’s worth the walk to the wood, we really enjoyed the woodland with all the unusual tress and plants, this is a walk over a field and through a wood to a small very pretty pond with a tumbling stream running down a steep ravine, it is really worth the walk.also loved the white foxglove garden and the kitchen garden is well worth a visit, the roses here were magnificent. Food in cafe was delicious and staff were all helpful and friendly.Visited June 2024Travelled with familyWritten 27 June 2024
- Neil BPershore, United Kingdom24 contributionsA wonderful experienceAfter a long drive the first thing required was the toilet and it was spotless so a good sign. The reception chap was very polite, clear and concise and then it was into the delightful tea rooms for tea and toast for a late breakfast. We then followed the footpaths on the plan through mature shrubs and trees, some unrecognisable and on into the woodland, finally returning via the kitchen and amazing rose garden. We walked 1.75 miles so lunch in the tea rooms was next on the agenda. Finally for me was a walk to the top of Hergest Ridge but that's another story.Visited June 2024Travelled as a coupleWritten 1 July 2024
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
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4.5
219 reviews
Excellent
125
Very good
66
Average
16
Poor
10
Terrible
2
Helen9295
Southampton, UK127 contributions
Jun 2021 • Friends
A Lovely garden spoiled by a rubbish tea room,people were exiting through the in door constantly, & kitchen staff had no hair nets on and a afternoon tea that had cheese scones but they don’t tell you or ask you if you want, and give jam and cream but who puts jam and cream on a savoury scone!
Waited 90 minutes from when we sat down to getting the food and it was very average
Made worse by the fact my friend had pre booked the afternoon tea the week before but don’t bother because they didn’t even have a table reserved for us
Was one waitress trying to take orders and deliver the food which is why kitchen staff were bringing it out.
As covid restrictions were in place in june they had so many ways they broke them including allowing the people who had finished eating to come back through the cafe to pay and standing next to people waiting to sit,
And plenty of customers without masks and the manager dismissing a review i’ve noticed from another customer obviously isn’t prepared to take on board the faults.
i noticed back in 2017 they had bad reviews as well so it seems they haven’t taken any criticism on board
Waited 90 minutes from when we sat down to getting the food and it was very average
Made worse by the fact my friend had pre booked the afternoon tea the week before but don’t bother because they didn’t even have a table reserved for us
Was one waitress trying to take orders and deliver the food which is why kitchen staff were bringing it out.
As covid restrictions were in place in june they had so many ways they broke them including allowing the people who had finished eating to come back through the cafe to pay and standing next to people waiting to sit,
And plenty of customers without masks and the manager dismissing a review i’ve noticed from another customer obviously isn’t prepared to take on board the faults.
i noticed back in 2017 they had bad reviews as well so it seems they haven’t taken any criticism on board
Written 27 July 2021
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.
We have contacted the reviewer asking for more details but received no response from them. There is no way that they waited 90 minutes for their food: all orders are logged, as is the time the food is brought. All kitchen staff have their hair tied back; there is no legal requirement for them to wear hair nets. If they were given a cheese scone, it would have been in error, and could be easily rectified. We would also like to point out that the tearooms were under different management in 2017.
Written 27 August 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Sue W
Ilkeston, UK1,190 contributions
Aug 2020
The grounds of this house are pleasant to walk around and lead down to the Park Wood which has numerous footpaths in and around it including the small pool which had some pretty water lillies flowering. You can also buy plants and shrubs if you wish. We enjoyed a couple of hours walking all the paths although at £7 each it wasn't the cheapest place to spend to two hours.
Written 16 August 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.
Thanks so much for your lovely review!
Written 14 October 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
poplarcottage
London100 contributions
Aug 2021 • Couples
Started off with lovely scones and tea at tearoom. Most polite staff and their courtesy and customer care extended to their wearing face masks - reassuring for the vulnerable. Next a stroll through the lovely gardens - peaceful and enchanting. The icing on the cake was the beautiful and informal arboretum. Each tree was labelled and there were some really fantastic and rarely seen specimens if you looked hard enough in the gladed valley. One of our best garden visits of the summer!
Written 24 August 2021
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.
What a lovely review! Delighted you enjoyed your visit, thanks so much.
Written 27 August 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Peter M
Chelmsford, UK9 contributions
Sept 2021 • Couples
A visit made by my wife and I on the 8th Sept in glorious sunshine reliving fond memories from previous days in the 1980’s. A very warm welcome from the lady at reception and then to the cafe for coffee and cake before starting our exploration. The staff were welcoming, the coffee and cake superb and all those eating very satisfied. We walked the gardens, woods and meadows and found directions easy to follow and the trees, plants and shrubs stunning, just as we remembered.
Finally returned to the shop and purchased some gifts before departing for our holiday home.
Just a wonderful day and one anyone who appreciate plants should visit.
Finally returned to the shop and purchased some gifts before departing for our holiday home.
Just a wonderful day and one anyone who appreciate plants should visit.
Written 8 September 2021
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.
Your review has delighted us all - very many thanks, please come again and enjoy it as the seasons change!
Written 10 September 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Bubbles73uk
Weedon Bec, UK844 contributions
Sept 2021
This was the first time I had visited this beautiful 70 acre garden, that is set in the heart of the Welsh Marches. Hergest Croft has a unique collection of over 5,000 rare plants, trees and shrubs, and has stunning views towards the Black Mountains. It was created over 120 years by four generations of the Banks family.
Highly recommended.
Highly recommended.
Written 26 September 2021
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.
So glad you enjoyed your visit hope we see you again this year.
Written 28 February 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Miami
26 contributions
Jun 2024 • Family
On arrival, we were met with a completely unwelcoming woman at the reception desk who asked if we were going into the gardens. As we only wanted to use the cafe, she seemed very disappointed and said that we could only use a certain section of the cafe and NOT go outside. Later, when we needed a baby changing area, she again came across dismissive and blunt. It may be that she is naturally miserable, but she is in desperate need of some customer relations training. On a minor positive note, the coffee was good, but the food is a complete rip off. £8 for a sandwich with two slices of bread, minimal filling and 4 (yes4) crisps.
Plus they charge an extra 50p for a spoon full of salad, which must have cost them all of 5p to put on the plate. Total charge for 4 sandwiches and 4 coffees was an eyewatering £46. I'm sure that I will get the same response from their PR department as the previous person who had a similar experience, but obviously nothing has changed and probably never will. AVOID !!!
Plus they charge an extra 50p for a spoon full of salad, which must have cost them all of 5p to put on the plate. Total charge for 4 sandwiches and 4 coffees was an eyewatering £46. I'm sure that I will get the same response from their PR department as the previous person who had a similar experience, but obviously nothing has changed and probably never will. AVOID !!!
Written 21 June 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.
Hello Tim
Thank you for your recent review.
It is vital that receive positive and negative feedback from our visitors, if we are to maintain the highest levels of customer satisfaction. I was extremely disappointed and equally concerned to learn of your experience during your recent visit to the gardens. Complaints of this severity are fully investigated, so that we can ensure that the correct procedures and service levels are in place. I would be most grateful if you could please contact me on the following e mail so that I may establish the date of your visit and the facts relating to your complaint. Please e mail me on austyn.hallworth@hergest.co.uk. Thank you and I look forward to hearing from you in due course.
Written 26 June 2024
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
suzewearsshoes
West Midlands134 contributions
Jun 2021 • Family
We visited with our baby and the staff couldn’t have been more friendly and accommodating- advising which routes were easiest for strollers and making it clear that we were welcome to go off the paths and fully enjoy the grounds.
The gardens themselves are spectacular! We really weren’t quite prepared for some of the wonderful trees and views - vistas peeking out between the foliage and benches everywhere to encourage stopping and enjoying it all. There are also two large lawns in front of the main building which are perfect for children to play on, and we made full use of them with a lovely cup of coffee from the tea room.
I just wish it was open from a little earlier in the morning so we could go for longer before the afternoon nap time strikes!
The gardens themselves are spectacular! We really weren’t quite prepared for some of the wonderful trees and views - vistas peeking out between the foliage and benches everywhere to encourage stopping and enjoying it all. There are also two large lawns in front of the main building which are perfect for children to play on, and we made full use of them with a lovely cup of coffee from the tea room.
I just wish it was open from a little earlier in the morning so we could go for longer before the afternoon nap time strikes!
Written 23 June 2021
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.
What a really lovely review; thank you so very much! Do hope you will visit again soon.
Written 30 June 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
HelenBarker
Tarvin, UK108 contributions
Sept 2020 • Friends
🍂🍁 Felt very safe here with everything in place. The lady in Reception took us through the map which was very helpful as we didn’t repeat any of the paths.
We walked through the Arboretum, then onto the wood, back to the beds in front of the house. It was pouring with rain but we didn’t mind as the autumn tints were just coming through with a few red leaves trees in full colour- just magical!
There is no tearoom, bring your own! Loos were spotless with all the necessary signage!
I would imagine in a couple of weeks time the colours on the trees will be outstanding 🍁🍂
Great selection of trees and shrubs for sale in excellent condition but sadly no room in the car to take anything back home!
Would highly recommend a visit here, just wonderful and breathe .......
We walked through the Arboretum, then onto the wood, back to the beds in front of the house. It was pouring with rain but we didn’t mind as the autumn tints were just coming through with a few red leaves trees in full colour- just magical!
There is no tearoom, bring your own! Loos were spotless with all the necessary signage!
I would imagine in a couple of weeks time the colours on the trees will be outstanding 🍁🍂
Great selection of trees and shrubs for sale in excellent condition but sadly no room in the car to take anything back home!
Would highly recommend a visit here, just wonderful and breathe .......
Written 24 September 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.
What a terrific review, thank you so much! And yes, the colour on the trees is breathtaking now ...
Written 14 October 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Jo G
Wolverhampton, UK116 contributions
May 2021 • Family
I visited the Gardens in June 2021 on a glorious, hot summer day. My 77 year old dad has a caravan nearby and we hadn’t found many places to explore in the area. We visited, thinking that this was going to be a small garden and gift shop - how wrong could we have been. It was acres of the most beautiful gardens and woodland hosting lots of beautiful trees dating back to circa 1900, complimented with glorious rhododendrons, azaleas etc. It took us 2-4 hours to explore and we finished up with a slice of cake and a coffee, overlooking the wonderful gardens. Whilst we sat there we read about the family that had built the property, it’s history as a school and neglect through the war years, with it finally being brought back to life in the early 70’s! Each tree is labelled and it interesting to see how many were taken in from
Asia and other continents. Entry was £7 but I would say that it was well worth the cost. I would say that the woodland walk is a little up and down and both me and my dad who are relatively fit, had to have a little sit down along the way. However there are plenty of woodland benches to take a 5 mon breather. I would say that the gardens were perfect in terms of colour although they had a later start this year and so possibly early June is a perfect time to visit. I enjoyed it, and we’ll worth a trip out to visit.
Asia and other continents. Entry was £7 but I would say that it was well worth the cost. I would say that the woodland walk is a little up and down and both me and my dad who are relatively fit, had to have a little sit down along the way. However there are plenty of woodland benches to take a 5 mon breather. I would say that the gardens were perfect in terms of colour although they had a later start this year and so possibly early June is a perfect time to visit. I enjoyed it, and we’ll worth a trip out to visit.
Written 13 June 2021
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.
Wow, what a terrific review! Thank you so much; everyone here at Hergest really appreciates it. Please do visit again soon.
Written 30 June 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Angie S
Hove, UK1 contribution
Jul 2021
Terrible experience in restaurant. No social distancing or requirement to wear a mask. System for taking payment very inefficient with people not wearing masks crowded together with a long wait. My BLT was served with stale bread. Staff member on kiosk was unwilling to receive feedback and just glared at me.
Written 10 July 2021
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.
We are sorry you did not enjoy the tearoom, but all the staff were wearing masks, as were the customers. Unfortunately the internet connection is patchy in the area, and the card machine connection temporarily failed. The bread was definitely fresh! So all in all, we do not consider this review to be either accurate or fair.
Written 10 July 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
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