Visiting Capel Manor Gardens

Thirty acres of variety, with a college hidden amongst the plants.

My usually weekend-working husband had a day off on Saturday, and it was due to be sunny. 

Recently, I've been trying to decide which of two colleges to enrol at for the RHS Level 2, so I cheekily suggested our 'date day' could be exploring the gardens around Capel Manor College. A recce for me, a nice day out for him. 

I didn't realise quite how nice a day out it would be. Really, to a visitor, the place feels much more gardens than college. The educational elements blend in seamlessly - a classroom tucked amongst hedges here, a design studio modestly sat amongst sensory planting there. It's all very grown-up, and with thirty acres to play with, the college has plenty of space to spread out. 

Roaming the grounds is a journey through history, science, incredible design, rare plants, and even offers a glimpse into the world of horticultural consumer champions. The site is home to the National Gardening Centre, a permanent collection of show gardens. Oh, and there's a mini-zoo! 

Highlights

The Japanese Garden

One of the first sights for visitors, opposite the cafe is a garden designed by Dr. David Hessayon that feels like a world in miniature. Divided into different areas to represent aspects of Japanese culture, the small space is packed with Japanese garden design elements. A central pond harmonises a landscape including acers, junipers, cherry trees, a bridge, a gravel garden, and a winding walkway that begs to be explored.

It's beautifully kept - the Japanese garden has its own dedicated gardener - and my former water scientist husband delighted over the newts, tadpoles, water boatmen and other signs of healthy biodiversity in the water feature. 

Glasshouses

I love the lush abundance  of a glasshouse, and Capel Manor's were a real treat. Looking particularly impressive was a giant morning glory rambling all over one glasshouse and escaping to the outside of the windows too. If I've identified it right, it's vigorous and not rare, but was so beautiful in this particular place in full bloom. 

One of my favourite indoor plants is Nepenthes - a beautiful, strange carnivorous plant that traps insects in jugs, or pitchers - and it was amazing to see a giant example of it wending its way around the beams.

National Gardening Centre

This was unexpected - Sunflower Street! A full-scale street of housefronts, each with doors and windows, has been constructed to show off a range of creative front garden styles.

This lovely domestic recreation is just one model garden within the National Gardening Centre portion of Capel Manor, where you'll also find a low-allergy garden, a Garden of Exaggerated Beauty with a drag catwalk, and many others.

The Which? garden

Yes, 'Which?', the consumer champion website and magazine. 

Not, as we thought when a member of staff mentioned it, the Witch Garden. I was very excited to see a witchy garden full of magic ingredients and broomsticks. Sadly, there was no opportunity for a good cackle, but the Which? garden turned out to be pretty cool too.

If you aren't familiar with Which?, it rates - well, pretty much everything. You can use it to find the best of anything - motorbikes, deodorant, dahlia, apple tree, whatever. And it turns out rigorous testing is involved. The garden is full of 'test beds' where different cultivars of the same plant are being grown and compared. You can join in, by placing little red flags against your favourite - we had lots of fun laying our judgement down upon echinaceas.

The Old Manor House Garden

Capel Manor does boast an area that's a little witchy, though. Set amongst and around the recreated ruins of the manor house are various gardens, including Madam Suzanna Avery's Kitchen. Named after a former resident who wrote down a number of her recipes from 1688 onwards, this garden features a 'ruined' hearth as the backdrop to medicinal and culinary plants used in Madam Avery's wines, preserves, remedies, baking and even cosmetics. 

There's more to see, and this area has a very romantic feel as you explore through arched doorways and 'rooms' created by mock-ruined walls. No wonder it's used for weddings. 

Mr Fothergill's Display Garden

Sponsored by the Mr. Fothergill's seed company, this adorable little formal garden boasts a wonderful Victorian-style greenhouse. As soon as I saw it, I wanted to possess it and spend rainy days happily potting and tending seedlings inside. You can see the company's latest varieties here, and flowers and edibles are mixed together in the beds next to a small herb garden.

Mr. Fothergill's feels like the most 'normal' and lived-in garden within the National Gardening Centre, and that's exactly what's charming about it. It reminds me of my grandparents' garden: productive and comfortable, with functional items like water butts and cans creating a sense of everyday enjoyment.

Animals

OK, we were there for the plants. But this goaty fellow has to get a mention. The zoo at Capel Manor exists because the college teaches animal care. It's not big, but it's a nice surprise, with good-sized enclosures for meerkats, goats, wildcats, owls, and some reptiles too. 

The garden also has a couple of resident cats, who we met and petted. 

Facilities

I said the gardens don't feel like a college, and the one exception is the cafe, which is nice enough but does feel like a student canteen. You can get a self-service hot drink or a sandwich, and there's a good array of comfort food on the hot plate from 12-2pm, but the facilities are fairly basic indoors, and you won't get a complicated coffee here. It didn't bother us, but might faze customers who are more particular. The outdoor seating is nice, amongst the surrounding gardens.

It's also a long walk from some of the gardens to the cafe (and toilets), so plan accordingly and take a bottle of water, as it is a full day out if you really look around! If you're visiting with kids, the mini-zoo is near the entrance/exit, but not visible as you walk in - so it might make a good bribe for the end of the visit.

Getting there

We came by car. There is loads of parking, and the gardens are just off the M25. Buses stop right outside, and the Turkey Street Tube station is a 15-minute walk away.

Admission

The entry fee is £10 for adults, £9 for concessions and £6 for kids under 16. Under-threes go free, and a family ticket (two adults with up to three children) is £30. The price seems about right for the size of the grounds, and the cafe is very reasonably priced.

General admission times:

Winter (Nov-Feb): Mon-Fri, 10am-5pm. Last admission 3.30pm.

Summer (Mar-Oct): Mon-Sun, inc. bank holidays, 10am-5.30pm. Last admission 4pm.

Verdict

Good for: Garden inspiration, a date, a full day out, or a school holiday visit with kids (though very little ones may get tired walking). 

Not good for: A winter weekend visit, or a fancy lunch.