Ness Botanic Gardens — Attraction in Neston

Little Gem of a place. Car parking is free but isn't huge so when we arrived at 11:30 we actually got the last available space. It is possible to park on the road outside but its a park across the pavement job. £8 or so to get in is very resonable for any place these days. The gardens are stunning and have something for everyone.. rock gardens, water gardens, borders and a lovely walk through a "Wild flower meadow" currently many of the flowers are in bloom, but there is obviously so much more to come for later in the year its probably worth anther trip in a month or so as it will look entirely different, there is so much life around the place, insects and birds. Robins, Woodpeckers, Wrens and many other birds. Its worth a walk up to the View point over the River Dee estuary.

Facilities:- As everyone gets used to reopening I am sure there are different levels of nervousness around things and its been well laid out to make you feel comfortable, one way systems inside keep you apart, they are very clean inside. The cafe is currently open but limited seating but if you pick a warm day there is a few outside tables, its a little pricey but not a rip off, and hey ho I guess everyone has to raise a little more at the moment. There are of course the odd one or 2 that feel the rules do not apply and come the wrong way at you or walk through the no entry signs but all in all we felt safe enough. I am not sure on Wheelchair access as despite the fact there are many good paths there are also some wood chip ones, some mown paths though a field for the wild flower walk so its a 50/50.

Staff:- Awesome - friendly, understanding, efficient - in fact many more positive descriptions.

Size:- You could spend all day there, easily. It doesn't look that big but by the time you have stopped to look at a few things, sat and watched one of the very friendly robins come right up to the seat you are on, admired a pond or 2 then an easy 4 hours is gone. We easily managed 13000 steps according to the watch.

Access:- I think its pretty much a car job. Its down some quite narrow country roads, and there maybe bus/rail nearby but I would not fancy walking down some of the roads with the cars coming as fast as they do, same being on a bicycle but there were...

We are so very lucky to have this beautiful garden close by. I have a membership, which costs around £29 to £32 for the year — such great value, especially when everything else seems to cost more than it should! The membership includes a card that lets you access the gardens even after the main building and café have closed, usually from 5pm until dusk during the summer.

This place is truly a godsend — an oasis in a chaotic world. Every time I visit, I feel a deep sense of calm and peace of mind. The flowers, plants, and trees are always changing with the seasons, and there’s something new to see every week.

The scent of Daphne bholua — one of the first flowers of spring — is pure joy after a long winter, accompanied by the snowdrops, daffodils, rhododendrons, and later, the stunning azaleas. Each one is magnificent in its own way.

The walking paths mown through the fields are a lovely feature, offering views that stretch all the way to the Welsh hills. The wildflower meadow at sunset is absolutely breathtaking. In the peaceful evenings, I’ve been lucky enough to spot badgers, owls, pheasants, rabbits, and of course, a rich variety of birds and insects.

There’s always something going on at Ness — interesting courses, talks, and seasonal activities. I particularly enjoyed learning about how they monitor the bird population. The yoga sessions in the gardens are a very special experience highly recommended. The stone circles are intriguing, and the new wooden structures are a wonderful addition.

I could go on about all the beautiful areas within the gardens — there are so many to discover and enjoy. Ness feels like a second home to me. It has helped me through some really tough times, and for that, I’m deeply grateful.

The staff do an incredible job maintaining the gardens. Their care, knowledge, and hard work shine through in every corner of this peaceful, magical place — bringing joy and serenity to so...

Visited Ness Botanic Gardens for the first time recently.

The staff are friendly and helpful on arrival and the whole place has a welcoming vibe as you walk in.

The grounds look beautifully cared for and well laid out, so a credit to the staff that work on the outdoors too.

A HUGE BONUS for us is the “none allowing of dogs” in the grounds.

It was literally pure heaven for us to just walk around without having to constantly check for dog mess or dog mess that had only been able to be partly cleared up (as is often the case these days with dog owners, no matter how careful they say they are!!).

We absolutely need more places like this instead of this current and very annoying obsession with “dog-friendly” everywhere you go. Not everyone wants dogs around all the time. They might be good for the owner’s mental health but certainly not for ours!

A Big Thank you to Ness Gardens for actually being “human-friendly” instead of “dog-friendly”.

Obviously guide/assistance dogs are not included in this general opinion.

On exiting the grounds we walked back through the lovely, bright gift shop.

We were going to eat in the Café but unfortunately on the day, a big queue had formed and we were unable to wait.

Certainly next time we hope to eat...