Bicton Park Botanical Gardens is home to many rare and endangered plants with origins from all parts of the world, including one of the finest tree collections in Britain. Meticulously cared for by a dedicated team of gardeners, Bicton ensures that each distinct area is tended to, allowing visitors to fully appreciate the botanical interests. Spanning 64 acres, the expansive grounds and gardens offers a landscape that transforms with the passing seasons encouraging our visitors to come back time after time.
Laid out in 1735 to designs of André Le Nôtre who also designed the Gardens of Versailles, The Italian Garden remains the world-renowned centrepiece of Bicton showcasing a true blend of formality and colour. The Italian Gardens remains the most beautiful picture opportunity of all the gardens.
Bicton has long been famed for its magnificent trees – over 1200 of them, representing 300 species with many endangered in the wild. Bicton is home to 25 champion trees signifying the tallest, largest or best of their kind in the British Isles. At 46m (151ft) our champion Grecian fir is the tallest of its kind ever recorded.
The Rose Garden is thoughtfully curated to bloom throughout the seasons, ensuring a continuous display of interest. It is flanked by an array of Salvias and Dahlias which work in harmony providing a haven for bees and other pollinators. A neat striped lawn brings calmness to the chaos of colours.
The Church of St Mary has been a key feature of the Bicton landscape since 1850. A love simple built to honour Lady Louisa’s affection for her late husband who passed eight years earlier. On the gables of each stained-glass window carved in Bath Stone are the kings and Queens of England from Edward I to Queen Victoria.
The magnificent Palm House is one of the world’s most beautiful garden buildings. Dating from c.1825 the structure is about 20 years older than that of the Palm House at the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew. Four additional glasshouses each provide specific conditions to allow a diverse range of plants to be grown.
The Hermitage is a summerhouse built in 1839 representing an outstanding example of rural craftsmanship, most easily accessed by The Bicton Woodland Railway. Surrounding the Hermitage is an acer glade, flowering cherries, waterfalls and a Japanese pagoda overlooking the Great Lake.
Our American Garden, established in the 1830’s provides rich colour throughout the year from large camellias, magnolias and rhododendrons to our Champion Tulip Tree and Handkerchief tree to a dazzling display of liquidambars and acers all looked down upon by majestic 45m Giant Redwoods.
With the UK recently experiencing higher temperatures and less rainfall, the Mediterranean Garden provides the best testing ground for plants that could thrive in the UK’s climate. The south facing slope ensures an ideal environment for certain draught tolerant plants to mature providing colour and scent.
Above the rockery stands a Grade II listed circular Shell House dating back to 1845. Constructed from irregular lumps of flint the Shell House has an almost primeval appearance. However, the interior is a beautiful collection of many different types of shells collected from all over the world.
We also take Tesco Days Out Vouchers at reception
Thursday – August 1st
