Wakehurst — Attraction in Mid Sussex

UPDATE:

I wrote a review at the end of Feb 2025 because I was very unhappy, and frankly disturbed, by the way that an issue was handled. I have kept the text of that review at the bottom of this update for context.

Shortly after I posted the review I received a really helpful response from Wakehurst and we corresponded by e-mail.

Wakehurst have confirmed that when I contacted The National Trust for resolution, The National Trust should have brought the matter to the attention of Wakehurst but this did not happen.

The matter has now been resolved by Wakehurst, and in my view they have 'done the right thing'. To be fair to them they indicated that this would have been sorted out had I contacted them directly originally, rather than 'See Tickets' or 'The National Trust'.

I think that this is excellent customer service for which I am grateful.

.................. REVIEW FROM THE END OF FEBRUARY 2025 I waited a while before I wrote this review because I feel torn.

On the one hand I have enjoyed visits to Wakehurst with my family and young children. I have enjoyed visits to Glow Wild in the past.

However, something happened that has left a really bad taste in my mouth and I have decided to write this 1-star review.

I bought tickets to Glow Wild in September 2024, to attend the event on 30.11.24. I spent £60 for my wife and two young children. My father died suddenly on 26.10.24.

The funeral took place on 30.11.24 in the Midlands.

I brought this to the attention of 'See Tickets' who were in charge of the event and they said that the 'terms and conditions' meant that they were not in a position to offer a refund.

I brought this to the attention of 'customer service' at the National Trust who said as follows:

“Thank you for your e-mail.

I am sorry to learn of the untimely death of your father and offer condolences on behalf of National Trust.

See Tickets operate a No Refund policy, and that is advised when booking tickets for events for which they are the appointed seller.

We are unable to intervene in the matter.

Any disappointment caused is regretted.

Thank you for your support.”

The problem was that there were literally no other dates that we could do before the event finished. I changed the date a couple of times to dates I could not do in case plans changed but I could not attend.

My personal feeling is that in this world there are ‘terms and conditions’ that organisations can hide behind not to do the right thing, and then there is ‘doing the right thing’.

I suppose I thought that ultimately Wakehurst would be in the camp of being able to ‘do the right thing’. I suspect they will put a reply on here, again hiding behind ‘terms and conditions’. That is of course their...

UPDATE 8 MARCH 24:

They allow dogs now. As a dog owner, we thought that's great, so off we went, having read the "good to know" re dogs online info. First thing, as per website, please note extending leashes not allowed. My wife thought they meant those long, long leads...I wasn't so sure...and true enough we had to swap - for free, mind you - our extendable lead for one of theirs, returnable at the end. Seems like we are treated like children these days..anyway, that wasn't the major gripe...this was that there were so many paths where dogs were not allowed....not allowed around the house....not allowed around a part of the lakes...not around the small valley with the crocuses. This was not clear on their website. I got fed up saying "oh let's take the next path," only to see yet another sign saying dogs not allowed... Basically, you were pushed to the perimeter of Wakehurst with views of where you actually might also want to go....so please be warned if you bring a dog. They are certainly not "dog friendly" by my definition of those words. Fortunately, we didn't pay for entry as we are NT members. Had we had to, we would have been even less impressed...and as for paying £7 parking for I think about an hour and a half's visit..a bit rich IMO. It seems to me, judging by some other reviews here, that "The Management" have pleased neither those who don't want dogs here nor those who wish to bring their dogs. We certainly wouldn't come with our dog again.

ORIGINAL POST

This place is very big and we just scratched at the surface. I'd like to come back with our dog and explore more, but I think dogs are not allowed. The plants are labelled up which isn't always the case at such gardens so it's really appreciated here. Some people I see have complained about NT members and non-Wisley members having to pay for parking. Seems a bit churlish of them IMO... lovely staff and...well....lovely grounds. I paid for the parking online beforehand....come later than you book, not earlier..... I'm sure if we had seen it under the sunshine it would have got 5 stars...not its fault, obviously, but life...

I’ve visited Wakehurst several times over the past few years, and I always love visiting. Wakehurst is what I would call a ‘wild’ botanic garden, set in the beautiful Sussex countryside. Unlike its sister garden, Kew Gardens in London, Wakehurst offers a more natural garden, where nature if allowed to flourish. It’s a beautiful place to spend hours wandering around, regardless of the season.

Some of my favourite areas to explore include the Himalayan Glade, which boasts breathtaking views across the valley; Coates Wood and the Westwood Valley when the rhododendrons are in bloom, showcasing a dazzling display of colour. Wakehurst is also home to the Millennium Seed Bank, which holds over 2 billion seeds from over 40,000 different species of plants! It’s very interesting place and worth visiting to learn all about it it’s role in the botanical world.

This year, I experienced their Glow Wild event, a fantastic nature-themed light trail that winds its way through the gardens. It was spellbinding, featuring an array impressive installations. Unlike other light trails I've visited, Glow Wild didn't focus heavily on the festive aspect; instead, it beautifully highlighted the wonders of nature, which I found quite refreshing.

Wakehurst has a couple of cafes and catering outlets on-site. While they may be on the pricier side, the quality of the food and beverages I've had there in the past has always been excellent.

Whether you’re looking for an escape into nature or something a little different with one of their special events, Wakehurst is truly a place for everyone and all seasons, and I would highly...