Rhs Garden Wisley

Garden

Explorer Tom

RHS Garden Wisley looks like a place where plants have hired a publicist: rock gardens, edible borders and a Glasshouse all compete for your attention near Woking in Surrey. Bring your curiosity and a little stamina, because these 240 acres are unlikely to let you settle for a quick glance. The garden began with George Fergusson Wilson, who bought Oakwood at Wisley in 1878 and grew it into an experimental garden. After Wilson died, Sir Thomas Hanbury bought the property and gave it to the Royal Horticultural Society in 1903. The Society wanted room beyond London's smoke; Wisley responded by becoming a place for research, teaching and visitors. Even the weeds must feel underqualified. Follow the paths from the historic rock garden to the World Food Garden, where edible plants make a convincing case for lingering before lunch. RHS Hilltop is devoted to gardening science, and the Glasshouse holds plants suited to different climates. Check the day's notices before heading inside: sections can close for maintenance, and the Glasshouse keeps shorter hours than the wider garden. I like to imagine its tropical plants demanding a collective lie-in. Wisley is a ticketed garden, generally open daily apart from Christmas Day and Boxing Day, with hours that shorten in the colder season. The Society offers advance booking and publishes current prices and entry times on its visit page; use that page before setting out, especially if the Glasshouse is your target. The garden is near Woking, with the main entrance reached from Wisley Lane. Leave time for a second circuit: your favourite corner may have changed its costume while your back was turned.