Hergest Croft Gardens extend over 28 ha (70 acres) with more than 5000 rare trees and shrubs described as ‘one of the finest collections of trees and shrubs in Britain’. The six distint areas are Hergest Croft Garden, the Azalea Garden and the Maple Grove, the Kitchen Garden and the Park and Park Wood.

Hergest Croft is surrounded by a wide range of plants including many tender specimens. The Croquet Lawn is enclosed by large yew hedge contains vases of sweetly scented lilies in summer. In the recently renovated Conservatory grows many tender plants. The large Rockery is being renovated and there is a new Slate Garden edged with 6 species of box.

The Azalea Garden is dominated by a massive avenue of blue cedars planted in 1900. Spectacular azaleas combine with a huge range of exotic trees. The Maple Grove started in 1985 contains many new plants introduced by recent collectors from the Far East and elsewhere.

The Kitchen Garden contains a traditional vegetable and fruit garden containing many rare varieties. The Spring Border lies under a avenue of ancient apple trees next to a 36.5m (120 foot) double herbaceous border. There are iris borders and a collection of English and old fashioned roses.

Park Wood lies some half mile from Hergest Croft passing through the Park which is full of specimen trees. Park Wood has a secluded valley hidden deep with an ancient oak wood containing over 12ha (30 acres) of giant rhododendrons and exotic trees that create a Himalayan scene that will surprise and amaze you.

Spring (March to April)

Meadows of blue scillas and snowdrops herald the start of spring. These are followed by white, yellow and trumpet daffodils spread all over Hergest Croft Garden. Many other bulbs have naturalised in the Rockery and elsewhere. Primroses and Forget-me-nots flower amongst the bright tulips in the Spring Border. The tree magnolias are full of large pink, carmine and white flowers. The delicate bells of species rhododendrons flower. The first flush of the leaves on the exotic trees are a tapestry of different colours and textures.

Summer (May to August)

The brilliant azaleas are a blaze of yellow, apricot, pink and orange. Huge hybrid rhododendrons over 9m (30ft) tall are completely covered in large pink, red and white blooms over carpets of bluebells in Park Wood. The vibrant red oriental poppies begin the summer radiance in the double Herbaceous Borders. Old fashioned roses flush next to the beds of perpetual English Roses. The wide varieties of hydrangeas show their enormous heads of blue, pink, and white flowers.

Autumn (September to October)

The dazzling autumn colour of the collections of maples and birches is breathtaking. Reds, yellows, purple and gold leaves glisten throughout the Azalea Garden, Maple Grove and Park Wood. The trees in the Park have glowing autumn colours.