If, like the plants, you’re starting to feel the chills of winter, here are some of the best glasshouses and hot houses you can visit using our 2-for-1 Gardens card.
Kew Gardens
Described by Sir David Attenborough as a ‘living laboratory’, you can enjoy the warmth and shelter of the Palm House at Kew Gardens, London, this winter. Full of incredible rainforest plants from around the world, it offers a tropical escape from the chills of winter. Take the Tree Top Walkway this autumn to be surrounded by the colours of the season. In winter, look out for dogwoods and the Grass Garden, sparkling with the frost of winter.
- Disabled access: Partial access
- Dogs: Not permitted
- Single visitor discount: No
- Refreshments: Hot food and light refreshments
Find out more about Kew Gardens in our 2-for-1 Gardens scheme
Visit the Kew Gardens website for more details
Dundee University Botanical Gardens
On the banks of the River Tay, Dundee University Botanic Garden showcases native and exotic plant collections, with an additional educational focus. Discover the Evolutionary Garden, which traces the history of primitive lichens and mosses into flowering plants. Follow their native plant collection from north to south, with highland scrub and heather giving way to a lush lowland area. In the glasshouses, look out for the arid zone, and equally ‘hot’ Curry Corner.
- Disabled access: Full access
- Dogs: Not permitted
- Single visitor discount: No
- Refreshments: Hot food and light refreshments
Find out more about Dundee University Botanical Gardens in our 2-for-1 Gardens scheme
Visit the Dundee University Botanical Gardens website for further details
Staunton Farm and Gardens
Just outside of Portsmouth, Staunton Farm and Gardens is a great day out for the whole family. It’s home to lots of animals, including ponies, llamas, rabbits, ferrets and reptiles. If you’d like to feed them, you can pick up some animal feed from the farm shop. Kids can enjoy exploring the play barn and hedge maze, whilst in contrast, the Victorian Glasshouses provide a warm and welcome moment of tranquillity. In the glasshouses, find banana trees, palms and giant amazon water lilies.
- Disabled access: Full access
- Dogs: Not permitted
- Single visitor discount: No
- Refreshments: Hot food and light refreshments
Find out more about Staunton Farm and Gardens in our 2-for-1 Gardens scheme
Visit the Staunton Farm and Gardens website for further details
West Dean Gardens
West Deans Gardens, near Chichester, houses 13 historic Victorian glasshouses. These are home to an extraordinary collection of chillies, tomatoes, peaches, and grapes, as well as having its own melon house and pineapple pit. Monty Don has described the glasshouses as an ‘inspirational model of how best to use a greenhouse’ and ‘a treasure for all gardeners’. The historic glasshouses, along with the other buildings at West Dean, are heated sustainably using wood chip from the estate.
- Disabled access: Partial access
- Dogs: Permitted on the lead
- Single visitor discount: Yes
- Refreshments: Hot food and light refreshments
Find out more about West Dean Gardens in our 2-for-1 Gardens scheme
Visit the West Dean website for further details
Dyffryn Garden and Arboretum
The Edwardian-era Dyffryn Gardens & Arboretum, near Cardiff, contains a series of garden rooms, each with its own unique theme and styling. As well as intimate garden rooms, Dyffryn is also home to a sheltered walled garden, with working kitchen garden and glasshouse. Dyffryn boasts an impressive cactus collection, with the promise of always seeing something exotic in bloom. Take a path through the 22-acre arboretum to see the orange and red hues of late autumn, and enjoy the feel of leaves crunching under foot.
- Disabled access: Full access
- Dogs: Permitted on the lead
- Single visitor discount: No
- Refreshments: Light refreshments
Find out more about Dyffryn Garden and Arboretum in our 2-for-1 Gardens scheme
Visit the Dyffryn Garden and Arboretum website for further details
