Really surprised how good this was! Gold star towhoever is running this place and looking after the plants and trees. Paid £13.50 each to get in but it was spotless, peaceful and great views. No river running till later in the year but the greenhouses, walled gardens and general grounds were beautiful. We had a super sausage roll in the restaurant and paid £5 for a bag to select from the great variety of apples for sale. The college is not open to public but there are tours some days/months.
Barbywhodares★★★★★
I'm in love with West Dean Gardens and have been for many years.
It's probably my favourite place in the UK - it's peaceful, beautiful, welcoming and with each Season offers up a glorious display.
As an amateur photographer this is a magical setting and hopefully my attached photos show that.
Today was beautifully sunny for September, regretably the Lavant wasn't full enough to have the West Dean gardens stream running - and when it does in the Spring there are ducks with the little chicks splashing around.
Had lunch at the cafe. A very tasty sandwich (basically a posh cheese sandwich) with salad and crips. And a pot of tea - squeezed 3 cups out of that. It's not cheap but it's very good. The food here in my view is always excellent.
Dogs are allowed in the gardens and also in the cafe, however, they must be on short leash. Please note the cafe does not take cash.
Entry at time of writing was £13.50 - children under the age of 16 are free. I don't think this place is for kids - they'd be bored but there is a Chilli Festival once a year, still going, I believe which they might like.
Parking is fairly easy and there is an overflow car-park which was opened today, as it was very busy due to the beautiful weather. Busy here doesn't mean crammed in the garden - it's quite sedate as the gardens are huge.
Well worth a visit.
Dagmara Katlewska★★★★★
West Dean Gardens is a truly beautiful place, full of charm and character. My favourite moment was walking through the pergola – it was absolutely breathtaking, covered with climbers and framed by wonderful understory planting. The Victorian glasshouses are also a delight, carefully maintained and full of interest. I especially appreciated the thoughtful planting in the walled garden, where the same plant is displayed in different varieties side by side – a lovely touch that really shows the richness of each species. A very inspiring and enjoyable visit!
Mel McKenna★★★★★
absolutely stunning, immaculately kept and cared for gardens. lovely woodland walk to start with which takes about an hour and then leads you round to the gardens. we particularly liked the glasshouses. fantastic day out for couples and families alike.
Aliakbar Shakour★★★★★
I travelled from Portsmouth to West Dean, and the journey took 43 minutes. I strongly recommend avoiding the motorway and instead enjoying the entire route, which offers opulent countryside scenery.
Parking
The parking area is rather hidden and can be tricky to find. If you’re using Google Maps, don’t turn at the first entrance for West Dean that it shows. Instead, carry on a little further and take the next street on the same side — this will lead you to the parking space.
Entrance
There are a few signs, but none clearly indicate the entrance. Look for the West Dean Shop, as this is where you can purchase tickets (£13 per person).
The Garden
The garden is beautiful, and there’s a large mansion on the grounds, although you cannot go inside. This left me wondering why the entry price is quite high for just access to the garden. Our group of six, including children and elderly visitors, all enjoyed the outing. Exploring the grounds will typically take 1–2 hours.
Restaurant
There is a restaurant located right next to the shop, where you can buy drinks, ice creams, and meals.
Tips
If you bring your own picnic, particularly sandwiches, it makes for a very pleasant visit. During my time there, most of the visitors were elderly, giving the place a calm and relaxed atmosphere.
Laura Minde★★★★★
Very beautiful place for short walk. So peaceful place with nice nature views, with lot of flowers, sheeps. Nice apple garden. The ticket price is very appropriate for what you see. We met older couple, they said that are often visitors and very beautiful is in July with lot, lot of colorful flowers.
Steve Marsh★★★★★
Did plan to visit the gardens as we were just driving past, so glad we decided to pull in and have a look around. Beautiful extensive gardens to stretch our legs and take in the views. Plenty of greenhouses with exotic plants along with vegetable patches. The day we visited there was an artist painting group spread throughout the estate with their artist easels and paintbrushes. Well worth a visit.
Mat Dodol★★★★★
We went on a particularly hot day....the river Lavant had run dry....the fields were scorched....but the greenhouse displays were absolutely fantastic....one dedicated to begonias, one to orchids, one to ferns etc....they are all lovingly maintained.....and the fruit trees heavily laden with apples and pears....a short walk around the main house possible too, as well as a longer walk(s?) further afield....but it's the greenhouses and gardens round about them that did it for us as we sadly didn't have time for the other adventures...this is a gem of a place really worth a detour if you like beautifully cared for and beautifully displayed plants.
May Rowlatt★★★★★
Great day out. Perfect for my 18 month old (we have an off road pushchair) he loves running around and seeing the ducklings and lambs.
Beautiful flowers and greenhouses. Some really good walks, you can easily spend the whole day here so it's a good idea to bring a picnic.
Emma Trafford★★★★★
Beautiful grounds. Tulips were in full bloom. Lovely walks. Choice of walks too, flat/hills. We chose the slightly longer walk. Lovely to see the new born lambs with their mum's. Good to see the renovations to the greenhouses. Great for families of all ages.
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FAQs
What is the address of West Dean Gardens?
West Dean Gardens is located at West Dean, Chichester PO18 0RX, United Kingdom
What is the phone number of West Dean Gardens?
You can contact West Dean Gardens at +44 1243 818318
How can I get to West Dean Gardens?
You can find directions to West Dean Gardens by following this map link
