West Dean Gardens - Chichester

The location is beautiful, with tulips in full bloom and lovely walking paths. There are various options for walks, including flat trails and hills. We opted for the slightly longer route, which was a great choice. It was delightful to see newborn animals resting with their mothers. The renovations in the greenhouses are impressive, making it a fantastic destination for families of all ages.

Great day outside. perfect for my 18-month (we have an off road pushchair) he loves to run around and see the ducks and slumbers. some really good walks, they can just spend the whole day here, so it is a good idea to bring a picnic.

The gardens surrounding West Dean College are stunning. Visitors can choose between becoming annual members or paying a one-time entry fee. When we visited in March 2022, the entry fee was £36. The gardens are vast, providing ample opportunity to spend an entire day exploring. There are also scenic walks to nearby low hills. Even if you don't expect to see much, there are lovely displays, especially during the blooming season of the fruit trees and in the beautifully restored Victorian woollen mills. Additionally, there's a small café for refreshments.

The restaurant boasts a beautiful atmosphere and serves excellent coffee made from fresh ingredients sourced from their gardens. Despite being located near a busy area, it doesn’t feel crowded, especially if you take advantage of the nearby parking. I recommend visiting for at least five hours, especially if you take the time to enjoy a leisurely walk as well!

The grounds as you can see from my pictures are lovely. There are a few nods to making space for wildlife but this felt like something they are in the early stages of embracing. The kitchen garden is quite small but looked well looked after, concentrating on a few seasonal crops at a time to top up the cafés offerings. There are underutilised extensive glasshouses of varying sorts, an orchard, various mature 'garden ' set ups and an obvious penchant for alliums. Most of the grounds are accessible for those with lower mobility. Plenty on benches, several available wheelchairs and well laid paths. There were some children there with their older grandparents but it 's not somewhere I 'd take children.