Our spacious country seat is one of the coveted hotels near Wakehurst place in the Gatwick area. Only 11 kilometres away from the Copthorne Hotel London Gatwick, the Wakehurst Place Garden of Ardingly is one of the proudest heritage attractions in West Sussex. The most visited site belonging to the National Trust, these beautiful, internationally-renowned gardens encompasses a sweeping montage of diverse landscapes. Formal gardens surround an imposing Elizabethan mansion and wildernesses of protected natural wetlands and woodlands all appear within the lush 500 acre expanse of these grounds. Film enthusiasts will find the environs very familiar, having featured as the principal backdrop in Kenneth Branagh’s acclaimed cinematic adaptation of “As You Like It”.

The garden was the brainchild of Lord Wakehurst, who first purchased the land at the turn of the 20th century, and subsequently spent over  three decades developing his beloved horticultural project. The moist, absorbent soil, the micro-climatic atmosphere and high levels of rainfalls makes these ideal flourishing grounds for exotic flora. Today, the gardens are internationally renowned both for their incredible natural beauty and as a base scientific horticultural research and conservation, falling under the management of the Royal Botanical Gardens, Kew.

Apart from the extensive plant collections that find a home within the grounds and the myriad of colourful insect and birdlife they attract, the major draws of the gardens include the charming, cottage-style Walled Gardens, the serenely lovely Water Gardens and a Himalayan Glade, as well as the largest recorded still-growing Christmas tree in the country.

The other building of hallmark significance is the Welcome Trust Millennium Building. The Seed Bank Project housed within declared a milestone achievement in 2010, having conserved fully 10% of the Earth’s known flora. 

Open to the public all year round, it is easy to see why the Wakehurst Place Garden is such a popular sightseeing gem, being a veritable showcase of the world’s floral bounty.