Hergest Croft Gardens — Attraction in Kington

This is just such a special garden! A real gem, it's got something to offer on many fronts as there are 5 or 6 different sections/gardens, formal, park, azaleas, kitchen and not to forget Park Wood, which has a real jungley or jurassic feel and sometimes even ethereal..gorgeous! We were not even there at the 'garden-at-its-best' time of year (end of August, beginning of September), but even without all the rhododendrons and azaleas in bloom, nor the undoubtedly stunning autumn-colours of all the amazing trees of which many are 'Champion' trees (which means they're extra special for a variety of reasons), we thoroughly enjoyed exploring it! It's hard to believe that the garden is only about 120 years old considering the girth of some trees. What we also liked is that it didn't have that "chain-feel" like many National Trust places, for example, seem to have these days, it felt more easy-going and individual!

We enjoyed our cream tea and carrot cake on the veranda with the most glorious view across the lawns towards the hills in the distance and although not cheap (£5.90 for cream tea with 2 scones) it was delicious. A really good cream tea and cake are hard to find.

All the members of staff we met were friendly and helpful. This place should really be 'more on the map', maybe more reviews like this will get more people visiting that lovely part of the country and this wonderful treasure of...

My last visit to this incredible garden was over 25 years ago, when our children were small. Usually, we walk onto the ridge, past the monkey puzzle trees and the original racecourse. We parked from the car park to reception, paid our tickets, and set off. With sound footwear and walking sticks, we walked to Park Wood and were not disappointed by what we observed. We found a pond with a low level of water and followed a stream down through the trees. Following a winding path, we soon climbed up the other side of the valley, following our guide map. We were able to walk "off site" through a gate across a corn field to take in the views over the valley. Returning back, we continued along the various named trails, past a log cabin, viewing the various trees of all sizes and shapes. Eventually, we arrived back at the pond, noting how dry the streams were that fed into it. From here, we walked back to the house and gardens, again stopping to look at the trees, the ponds, and the views. We were intrigued by numbers we came across as we walked around, so we bought a guidebook that answered our questions. From here, we walked across to the vegetable gardens before returning to our car. It had been a memorable day out, and we plan to visit in the autumn when the colours should...

We discovered Hergest Croft gardens in July 2020 through the Gardener's World 2 for 1 offer and have returned twice since then. This year the Maples Tearoom was open and we enjoyed both a lunch and an afternoon tea there looking out onto the beautiful gardens. The quality of the food was excellent with generous portions and very reasonably priced. The staff were efficient and friendly. The gardens and surrounding grounds are just stunning and in such a beautiful setting. We enjoyed the Kitchen Garden and the walk through Park Wood and also up onto Hergest Ridge where you can follow the Offa's Dyke path and even walk across the border into Wales. The views are breathtaking. There is an excellent selection of plants on sale, I have purchased shrubs on each of our visits and been very satisfied with the quality. Looking forward to a return visit as the...