The Gardens Today

Subtropical Paradise

A world-renowned garden with exotic, unusual subtropical plants and flowers is what the Gardens are known for. The Gardens are a mixture of formal and informal flowers, world famous for it’s Camellia groves and Magnolias. Noted in Dorset for its Rhododendron and Hydrangea collections and the charming Victorian Garden.

Due to the plant hunting dynasty, the Gardens today house, display and conserve plants from around the globe. An influential garden and one of the greatest collection of Mediterranean plants in the UK. There are many highlights at the Gardens, including the memorable red bridges, rope bridge, lily ponds, all set amongst a subtropical paradise, which transports you to a distant land.

Specialist Plant Centre 

The Plant Centre gives you an opportunity to take home a little piece of Abbotsbury, with a varieties of plants that have been tried and tested over decades by the Gardens.

Many of the plants are home grown behind the scenes in the Gardens nursery. Cultivating unusual and specialist plants that provide a quality addition to your home gardens.  

From hardy ferns, to succulents, seasonal plants and even houseplants, the Gardens team take pride in nurturing and selecting a range that is different from many plant and garden centres.

New sculptures by Brendon Murless

Four new sculptures by contemporary figurative sculptor Brendon Murless have been installed in the Gardens. Titled Serenity, Emergence, Listen to the Forest II and Queen Bee, these works bring a fresh thread of discovery to a walk through Abbotsbury’s subtropical landscape, inviting you to pause and take in the surroundings with a new perspective.

Brendon’s work takes inspiration from the human form and the beauty found in nature, exploring the connection between people and the living world around us. Queen Bee, located in the Victorian Garden, draws on the movement and resilience of wild honey bees and was created to draw attention to the challenges they face, as well as the part they play in the wider landscape.

Experience the new sculptures for yourself

Cafe

The stunning Café adds to the immersive feel of a visit to the Gardens. With a wooden veranda and courtyard surrounded by subtropical planting, a lunch date, afternoon tea or coffee break, transports you to the tropics. 

Daily homemade light snacks, savoury pastries, sandwiches, soup and cakes provide welcome substance. With hot drinks, cold drinks and a selection of local beer & cider.

Gluten-free, dairy-free and vegan products are always available, and we try is adjust a dish to suit your requirements. Please alert our staff to any allergies and dietary requirements.  

Open daily from 10am until 4.30pm.