Inside beautiful RHS Garden Wisley – perfect for a family day out and only just outside of Sussex

RHS Garden Wisley, in Woking, Surrey, is a huge array of manicured gardens, pretty borders, exotic species, glasshouses, woods, a lake, allotments, food gardens, research centre, a children’s play area and so, so much more.

We went for the first time last year, and I absolutely fell in love with the place. So, when we were invited to return again this year, I practically bit their hand off.

Regular readers will know my well-documented love of National Trust properties, but RHS Garden Wisley really gives them a run for their money.

My husband would probably say I like to ‘drone on’ about my love of a good day out at a garden, but I see it as extolling the virtues of something quintessentially British that I’d argue we do better than anywhere else worldwide.

And I’m very happy to extol the virtues of Wisley.

My family and I visited just after we’d got back from a holiday in Tenerife. We’d returned to rain, wind and general gloom, and I was having to use all my willpower not to run off to Gatwick and get straight on a plane back there.

But then, we visited this oasis of beauty, the sun came out and it reminded me that the UK really does have great things to offer, like Wisley.

In looking at the map to write this review, I’m embarrassed to admit that on both times we’ve visited we’ve managed to miss the same large section of the gardens, Battleston Hill.

It’s possibly because it’s so vast – you can easily fill a day, and if you wanted to see everything properly I think you need more time.

It could also be because we were following the bug trail – one of the summer holiday offerings which sees children follow a trail to tick off bugs on their list/downloadable app.

Wisley offers extra activities during most holiday periods. When we visited last time it was Easter, and the children did an egg trail. I love these activities because they’re a great incentive to get children walking across the whole venue.

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The only issue this time was that when we reached RHS Hilltop – The Home of Gardening Science (where you can take free guided tours and learn all about the science of plants and see the research facility) the bug trail wanted us to turn right. I wanted to go left, but the kids didn’t want to deviate from their trail, so we ended up forgetting to go back and see the lake and all the flora and fauna on the hill.

The RHS website tells me that at this time of year, I missed the hydrangeas in full bloom. I also missed the exotic garden, which I’m particularly gutted about.

I guess there’s only one thing for it – I’ll just have to go back at some point!

Something that gives Wisley a bit of an edge over our local National Trust properties is that it has a really decent play area for children. Swings, a big slide with a bridge, sand pit, mini adventure trail, climbing frame, little bouncing squares and more. My children would have happily spent all day here, but we prised them away after about an hour-and-a-half.

Thankfully, we diverted their attention by taking them into the huge glasshouse. It really is a treat in there, with tropical species, a waterfall and elevated viewing levels. There’s also a new orchid house, which is really pretty.

My children also loved the rock garden. Basically any area with stairs, to maximise the danger levels, gets a thumbs up from them.

I mentioned it last time we visited, but it’s worth noting again that the facilities at RHS Garden Wisley are fantastic. There’s cafés at each end of the gardens, as well as coffee and ice cream huts in other locations.

There’s plentiful toilets, and they’re all very clean, as well as places to fill up a water bottle and multiple picnic spaces.

It makes such a difference to a day out to know that all your needs are catered for. It’s so much easier to relax when you have children in tow knowing that a toilet or a snack are never too far away.

The shop and garden centre is also immense. You could almost spend a whole day in here. Just beware if you visit on a Sunday, like we did. We looked round the shop mid-afternoon, picking out a bonsai tree we’d like to buy. Not wanting to carry it, we said we’d buy it on the way out later on.

But when we returned to the shop at about 5.30pm (the gardens close at 6pm), it was closed. We had completely forgotten about Sunday opening hours, so we didn’t get to buy anything this time. Again, I guess we’ll just have to make a return visit.

For more details of what’s on, ticket prices, how to book and more, the RHS Garden Wisley website offers all you need to know.