Back in the summer of 2025 we followed a day exploring the gardens at Kew, with a day at RHS Garden Wisley. Two really big gardens in two days!
We have visited Wisley many times in the past but always look forward to going back again. First port of call was breakfast at the Wisley Cafe in the main welcome building. When there, we roughly planned out our day, choosing the places we wanted to see most of all.
Suitably refreshed we set off around the Jellicoe Canal towards the Wisteria arch and the walled garden illustrating the many alternatives to box which really is not suitable for our gardens in the UK. Across the canal I had to photograph some wonderful cloud pruning.
It was amazing how many alternative hedging shrubs the gardeners at Wisley had found as replacement for the ever-suffering box. Berberis in several cultivars were most impressive of them all.
Neither of us are great fans of wisteria but the way Wisley had grown a selection up and over this long pergola was so impressive, in fact impressing almost every visitor passing by. Topiary pieces looked good alongside the arch too. But before arriving at the wisteria feature we encountered an impressive collection of low growing foliage plants including an especially impressive selction of ferns.
From here we climbed steadily up a long, wide grassed path with mixed borders on either side which featured some stunning sculpture and attractive pruning of shrubs. We frequently wandered off the path to explore the planting areas as we made our way to the Wildlife Garden and Wellbeing Garden.
We wandered off into a woodland area before passing through the Wildlife Garden to discover the Wellbeing Garden.
Wood carved fungi and wood piles told us we had arrived at the Wildlife Garden.
The Wellbeing Garden felt such a comfortable place to be with gentle pebble seats and spiral white paving amongst grass.
The Hilltop building gave us a chance to sit and have a snack before we entered the World Food Garden, a cleverly designed circular garden.
That finishes off part one of our visit report from Wisley. Part two will follow soon.
greenbenchramblings 