Abbotsbury, Sub Tropical Gardens, Nr Weymouth in West Dorset - Phone Number, Reservations, Reviews

Lovely setting, lovely staff. Homemade tomato soup was very peppery - so much so that I couldn’t taste the tomatoes. Bread roll was ok. Hubby had vegan pasty which he really enjoyed. Shared a fruit scone which was not nice. There was a hint of vanilla (unnecessary) and an underlying taste which was horrible. I couldn’t finish mine.

The gardens are lovely and well worth visiting. However, we were very disappointed with the choice and freshness of the food on offer, especially at the prices being charged. I had a scone which was dry and inedible, my husband had a tasteless egg mayo sandwich! Could do better!

A truly lovely place but for those of us who are disabled not very good. Steep gravel paths make pushing a wheelchair difficult & hard work. Surprised they did not offer powered all terrain scooters. It would open up a new clientelle for them. Still a lovely place and well worth a visit, if your healthy!!

My 2nd visit to this beautiful place. I visited with 2 members of my family, one of whom was in a wheelchair. I would like to give a big shout out to Sophie, a member of staff who helped push the wheelchair upto the area with the two ponds. So very kind of her, thank you. A bench just outside would be helpful, for elderly people awaiting taxis or transport.

Oh dear 😏 The most stunning of gardens is totally let down by whoever has the catering concession. I was surprised that when we arrived on a Sunday lunchtime the cafe was empty. Very poor selection of food offerings, but we chose the macaroni cheese option as we were hungry. I rarely send anything back, but was stunned to have plonked down on our table two of the smallest takeaway tubs of white sauce covering some pasta and topped with a slice of orange PROCESSED ‘cheese’. These didn’t match the description of the promised broccoli/mozzarella/panko breadcrumb topping on the board. It was SO utterly disgusting and disappointing. I asked for my money back. This restaurant is missing an opportunity for being a destination eatery. The building and setting sublime. But the two joyless staff were totally disinterested, no apology, no offer of an alternative. Awful Awful Awful 🤬🤯🤬 why work in hospitality if you are not prepared to smile or make your customers feel welcome? Now the gardens, the plant nursery, the shop and their staff are lovely. Excellent parking 🥰 (we had a motorhome) Just pop down to the Chesil Beach Cafe for some great food served with a smile, rather than going near this cafe. Or, take your own packed lunch. Come on Abbotsbury Sub Tropical Gardens…up your game 🌴

The gardens themselves are really beautiful and so peaceful. The walk to the view over Chesil Beach and coastline is well worth the uphill hike, however the map provided by the gardens is totally inadequate as so small you just can't read it, let alone follow it!! The cafe, while very attractive had terribly slow service by staff that clearly were in the wrong job!! What happened to service with a smile? I wished that I had brought my own lunch to be honest, because although the website made the offerings sound really homemade and delicious, many of the items were clearly not homemade and were overpriced and underwhelming!!

If you like any form of garden, this is a must visit place. We visited in Oct 23 and it was still really impressive. At times it really is like being in a sub tropical forest, but there are also garden / plant areas which are much closer to home. Well signe post path throughout, water features and a nice cafe to round off the trip.

For the price we were disappointed. There are paper plates, cups and disposable cutlery for everything. The only good thing is the setting. We usually visit several times when on holiday but didn't go back this time. Found a couple of lovely cafes actually in Abbotsbury village The Bellenie's Bakehouse and Cherries Abbey Farm which were both very good.

The cafe is set in amazingly beautiful gardens with sounds of tropical birds. Cafe though is dissapointing, no hot food after 2pm , not even a pasty. Paper plates, plastic cutlery, cardboard cups. Afternoon tea is not even a pot of tea. Cakes average. There are much better places to eat in the village, try Abbotsbury Tithe Barn .

The garden is like stepping into another world when one exits the payment area. The person on the desk was very helpful and informative which helped to shape our visit. We would have liked more of the plants to be labelled as we don't have that level of knowledge. We followed the marked path round and then went round again using other paths once we had our bearings. We didn't use the café but is seemed clean and well stocked with a variety of options.

What lovely gardens to wander round could even take my dog ( all dogs have to be on a short lead) but they do have a supply if you have an extendable lead.There is plenty of room to wander round without bumping into lots of people and plenty of seating to sit and watch the world go by. All of the staff were very friendly, stopped by the cafe to have a drink and something to eat, sat outside and was befriended by a robin, it could have been the crumbs he was after. Visited the gift shop which is well laid out. Plenty of parking I would recommend a visit here.

Three generations of us visited the gardens and generally enjoyed it very much; the children were very enthusiastic. The planting is spectacular with many unusual varieties. I found the paths difficult and uneven at times, and there are several slopes and even hills. At least there are a reasonable amount of benches. Service in the café was goodnatured but painfully slow, and I felt the number of toilets provided was inadequate for the size of the attraction. Reductions for RHS members (it's an RHS Partner Garden) are only available in the winter months, and there's no reduction for older people either.

The staff were charming, but unfortunately there was sugar in the cheese scones. Sugar in cheese scones? Why! Dan Daniell.

We visited this on Sunday morning fir coffee. Despite there being 3 young people behind the counter we were told we couldn’t have China cups. The coffee was absolutely disgusting it only did it not taste of anything it had a fishy smell. The girl Behind the counter did make me another one snd said she would put two shots in it. I think at £3.50 a cup 2 shots should face. Even given as a matter of course Would I visit again NO Would I recommend NO

This is a mini nature reserve really. Feel free to walk around and take a look at the flowers as well in order to get into the spirit. Make some brief summary notes on what you happen to see. Take your own sweet time however as there is a lot of nice things to see. Good luck. You must also cross the rope bridge. After you have seen all there is to see, go off to the visitor shop and cafe. Both are located at the exit. Take a bunch of pictures. I was here only today earlier on. One tip make sure to have a map in case you get lost. Also leave bread crumbs…. Have a nice time. The perfect place for dogs on a lead.

My 19 year old daughter and I visited gardens and both of us were quite enthralled with it. A truly fascinating place. Beautifully kept gardens. It was like being in another world. It comes highly recommended. We didn't use the restaurant.

Abbotsbury Sub-Tropical Gardens have been created and expanded over the centuries from the kitchen garden of a castle built in 1765 by Elizabeth, Countess of Ilchester, which burnt down in 1913 and despite being rebuilt two years later was demolished in 1934. It is a partly wooded partly lawned site hosting a wide variety of orientalist shrubs and plants spread over 500 acres whose features in life three oriental style bridges coloured red over a steam also crossed by a precarious rope-bridge. There is access to a splendid vantage point with a view over Chesil Beach and the Fleet; also a shop and cafe although only providing food to be taken away despite tables being available indoors.

A beautiful very peaceful garden to walk around. Some very tall, impressive trees and areas by the stream with the tree ferns give a very tropical feel. The rope bridge presents a challenge for those daring to cross it. The view point well worth the effort with stunning views of the coast, Chesil beach and the Fleet.

Quite disappointed with these gardens definitely nothing special Very samey all round. I expected to see a lot more interesting plants in a sub tropical garden. I would not visit again

A beautiful place to visit. To enjoy the walk around the gardens, the plants, the colours the birds and a cup of tea and a slice of cake. What could be better?

We love going to Abbotsbury Gardens for coffee and cake and also sometimes time dependant, we go round the amazing gardens. We were extremely disappointed that the coffee is still being served in take away mugs, plastic knives, forks and spoons!! The price for a coffee for a takeaway is now £3.30, so please bring back china!! It use to be the best coffee in the area but recently it was watery and had no flavour, the lady who served us was also having a "bad" day!! If they want locals to continue to support them they need to make it a better experience!

We visited on Saturday 5th June. We were a bit surprised that little had been done to make the path accessible to wheelchairs. I am a fit, strong and independent wheelchair user and found the rocky and rutted paths very difficult to negotiate safely. Notably, this was the short route signposted for wheelchair users. The topography in the are is hilly and inclines are to be expected, but if you're advertising an accessible/wheelchair route then it should be much better than this (smooth tarmac for example). Come on, you need to improve!

Had a lovely day at this very pretty garden. Very well looked after and it has some beautiful interesting plants. The long walk up to the ocean viewpoint was well worth it. Lots of benches supplied to take a rest if needed. Great day out, would highly recommend

Fabulous place Alan titchmarsh said it was the best garden he had ever seen. I understand now what he meant. It’s also huge. Lots of benches to sit on for a rest. They had wheelchair access too. There is a restaurant but go before 3.30 as after it’s sandwiches and cake (very nice too free range local stuff) they may want to consider a choice of non-dairy spread in the sandwiches as my wife is allergic to milk butter etc. And had to settle for a coffee and a bag of popcorn ☹️

We recently visited Abbotsbury Gardens on the way back from Tiverton and it was rather an experience.First we had to do the trace and contact and all those without mobile phones (several rather elderly people) were made to wait outside for a while before we were all permitted to leave our details via pen and paper but were made to feel second class citizens.We then had to fill in all the contact and tracing details a second time before entering the cafe.On trying to enter the gardens we were told by the woman that there was no exit this way and to use the cafe and toilets first, which reluctantly we did, only to find one gentleman from the mobile phone group allowed in first had been all round the gardens in 10 minutes and exited back to the cafe!!! We were not impressed. They also refused to take cash which was unfortunate for some of the elderly people without credit cards. Cash is a perfectly legal means of payment.Indeed it did not take very long to walk around the gardens as there was little to see in October and many paths were roped off.The cup of tea I purchased in the cafe was the most expensive of the entire holiday. We sat outside. There are signs directing customers to clear their own tables and place waste in the bins etc. Throughout the entire time we were there (over an hour, some people did eat) I did not see a single member of staff outside and hence when customers moved on and someone else sat at tables these tables - and chairs - had not been cleaned, or wiped or sprayed with anti-viral spray at all, not once. In every other cafe etc I visited on my holiday in the area every other cafe cleaned their tables AND the chairs before permitting the next customer to sit. These people were very lazy and hence the level of cleanliness was substandard. I would not recommend a visit until they get things right.

We saw this garden, perhaps not at its best in October, but for all of that it is a wonder to behold. Exotic plants from around the world have found a home here and around every corner there was something exciting and new to behold. Great day out.

Visited for late lunch, limited menu, we ate fish cakes and Mac + cheese which were OK, cakes looked good but too full.

Interesting wander around a very unusual garden - apple cake in the tea room afterwards was a winner

We booked ticket the day beforehand due to the COVID situation. The gardens had a designated path route, which was easy to follow. We really enjoyed all the unusual plants and there were some interesting pieces of art nestled amongst the plant life. We took both our dogs and we’re made to feel welcome. Our dogs enjoyed it as much as we did! There is a path up a little hill called the Magnolia trail, it takes you to the top of the hill, there you can look down on to the beautiful view of the dunes and sea. I would recommend a visit. ❤️

Small restaurant but good quality food that caters for vegans too. Friendly staff. Not expensive. Well set up for Covid Prevention

Vegan options in the restaurant here were very popular when we visited although I was lucky to have been able to have had one of their vegan Pasties (phat). Very good that they are trying to serve food for all diets.

We visited this tropical garden and it was a lovely trip out we enjoyed the different garden areas and landscapes. A great view of Chesil beach. I would advise booking 1st as we got in without but a message was passed not to let in anyone else not booked online as there was a large queue. Also the toilets and cafe are outside the booking office so you can only use these before entry or at the exit of your visit.

I came here with my mum. I hadn’t seen her for nine months because of the lockdown and it was a lovely place to visit. The gardens are quite stunning and I enjoyed the statues with the literary references. There was a one way system in place and not all of the gardens were open but it was very much worth the time to go there. The ladies welcoming visitors, as well as the lady, at the ticket office were friendly and professional. We both had a drink at the cafe. Again, very good staff. I am a vegan so I was pleased to see not only was there cake available but also a pasty which was delicious.The Gardens - ten out of ten!

Very well laid out place and lots to see. Only downfall I thought was that not all the plants were labelled. Totally enjoyed walking around and looking at the different plants and flowers. Cafe and gift shop on site.

Lovely gardens, plenty of room to wander around and some superb specimen plants. Well worth a visit.

Beautiful, calming, splendid, exotic - that and everything you'd expect. It was one of the best visits we did on the Jurassic Coast. We hope you'll enjoy it as much as we did

Went in September last year before covid, so this review is based on that. Having been to the Sub Tropical gardens before it was always nice to re-visit, the gardens were as usual kept beautifully all the plants still in flower and the views from the top of the hill were amazing as it was a clear day, my favourite bit is the rope bridge which is a great challenge, would always come back to visit the gardens

What a gorgeous garden. Once we had found it, it was an oasis of calm. There was ample parking, and the garden had only just opened after its winter break ( We visited March). Due to the weather, some routes we closed, so we never made it to the view point, which people have said is worth the trek. We paid ( not cheap) and a very nice lady gave us a map of the gardens, and suggested following a marked route through the acres. It was truly lovely. Peaceful, with birds singing and handsome pheasants strutting amongst the shrubs. Although early Spring, the shrubs smelt lovely and fresh. There are ponds and streams throughout . A horticultural delight. And even my non gardening partner, said that he had enjoyed the experience. What a dedicated host of staff keep this place going. It will be busy in summer, so arrive early. There are lots of seated areas, and wheelchairs can get around easily. The cafe, in the Pavilion was well appointed, clean, and lots of tables in and outside. Quite expensive for food. But tasty. Dogs on leads welcome, and they can go inside Pavilion. Well appointed shop as well. Worth a visit throughout the year.

Beautiful gardens they were much bigger than I thought everywhere was labelled well on trees and plants. Great price £5 entrance fee being winter time which was excellent value and still lots too see. The cafe was superb lots of choice and good value. Will definitely visit again.

A wet and windy afternoon with family attending the annual Xmas Light a Life service. We were able to shelter under the awning of the restaurant for the lovely service. Tea and mince pie was very welcome afterwards. Many thanks.

A magical garden to wander at your leisure. Divided into different areas dedicated to world locations, Japan, Australia etc. Good food offer in mock colonial bundalow. A pleasant afternoon.

Spent a very enjoyable hour and a half in these beautiful atmospheric gardens. The lighting was so well done and planned out. The nightlights leading the way must have taken forever to light. There was an easy path to follow and also an alternative path for wheelchair access. Would thoroughly recommend a visit.

Whenever my wife and I visit Dorset we always visit the Sub tropical gardens. So much to see and do, a magical place. Walk up the hill and take in the view of the Channel and Chesil Beach. On a clear day you can see for miles.The restaurant has a good selection of food, can get busy, just have to be patient for service. Very dog friendly.

Lovely day @ Abbotsbury.The cafe eating area was clearly busy both inside & ourFood counter / blackboard menu choices & drink display cabinets were more than adequate for occasionFood quality / presentation & delivery to table from ordering meals was above average.Drinks selection etc - no problemService level throughout - polite / friendly & helpful.Value ? - just about acceptable but pushing the limits despite some items , not all , being clearly homemade & tasty.Revisit ? - yes , for both gardens & cafe refreshments / food etcEnjoy

Without a doubt the gardens are beautiful. As for the Cafe outrageous inflated prices very disappointing for our visitor. 1 Soup & roll, 2 packets of sandwiches, small orange juice + 2 Americanos total price £23.10. Our last visit to the cafe.

very slow to clear away used crockery. a table in the middle, (outside0 was covered in dirty plates, cups and teeming with wasps

Wonderful gardens in beautiful setting but cafe has hiked it's priced this year and now extremely expensive for not very special food, extremely disappointing. We used to drop in regularly for tea cakes and snacks but that won't be happening any more. Listening to other conversations other people had similar comments.

The Gardens certainly give value for money, the walk is much longer than one might think and the climb to the viewing point over the coast can be quite arduous but it does make for a beautiful day out. The gift shop is very good, reasonable prices and the staff are friendly. The restaurant is well laid out and offers a wide variety of food and drink but I have only one gripe....a small piece of fruit-cake charged at £3.85!!! and I do mean small, talk about ripping off the tourists considering one can buy a whole cake for £1.20 and get say eight slices out of it. I hate this subtle profiteering, its very devious and wrong.

The cafe in the sub tropical gardens is housed in a Colonial style building complete with veranda and set in the gardens, vibrant with tropical plants and jungle foliage. Kookaburras called in the background lending a dramatic note to the atmosphere. It was really pleasant sitting out for coffee and cake and the plant and gift shops were worth looking around. As I live nearby I will definitely make it a regular stop. No entry fee for this part of the gardens.

We were not planning to visit the gardens but we spotted some signs on our journey and decided to give it a go. We had cake and tea in the cafe before we walked around. It was very good. Tranquil gardens on lots of levels with an easy to follow white arrow system for the easiest route. The steep walk up to the viewing point was well worth the extra effort.

Had coffee on arrival and then Walked around the gardens, lovely garden must go place.

The Colonial Restaurant had cakes beautifully displayed in two rows; the ones in the front row had cake serving tongues on top of each dome. The second row of cakes did not have visible cake serving tongues, so I used one from the front row to select a fruit scone. A lady appeared from the kitchen and huff/puffed and sighed in such a manner as to make it known to me that I had done something wrong. I enquired what was the matter and was told very abruptly that I had cross contaminated the serving tongues, due to coffee and walnut cake. I could fully appreciate the misdemeanour I had committed, but to be told in such a manner was rude, demeaning and totally un-called for! I would suggest that there should have been a notice saying that the second row of cakes were to be served by catering staff only. Incidentally my scone was very tasty, but I would question why Irish butter was used, when the West Country of England has so many dairy farms?

Only came for a cream tea today. What a let down. Cold solid scone, and tea in a paper cup. They had a sign saying 10% discount because of paper cups but when I asked I was told that was only if you bought a separate drink so I was charged full £6.50 each. Other local cream teas are far cheaper and much nicer.

We visited yesterday with a party of 38 having pre booked a cream tea which was included in the price of our holiday. When we arrived there was no reserved sitting so our party had to split up and we also had to to queue for our own food and drink I thought the whole idea of booking as a party was so it would be booked as a party, several of our group are elderly and can't carry trays with hot liquids and if it was n't for our driver running around and helping I could have foreseen several mishaps. We did intend to visit the gardens afterwards but our group was so disgust at the way we had been treated we didn't bother and we certainly won't be returning, The cream tea was quite nice even if it was more expensive than other places we have visited in the past

Lovely gardens set in a tranquil setting. Easy to walk around on gravel paths. Nice walk up slight hill to view of chesil beach definately worth it. They have a nice cafe aswell serving cake or hot meals if preferred. Shop is a must aswell selling lovely items. We used the gardeners world 2 for 1 card great value. You can vist cafe & shop without having to pay for gardens.

We bought a family passport ticket for the 3 attractions.

Arrived late. unfortunately, but thoroughly enjoyed the great variety of plants for sale.. Even our dog enjoyed it! We managed to purchace plants we were looking for, having spied them in a private garden in Bridport,(the owner of which didn't know the name,) so have a permanet memory of this lovely area.

We ordered the Dorset cream tea and received a mediocre scone along with Cornish clotted cream and a mini jar of strawberry jam. I suppose the scones were made in Dorset. Unfortunately they were not even as nice as the cream teas I have had in my local garden centre. The pot of tea was excellent though.

I attended the Food fair held on 20 April. Included was the entrance fee for the Sub Tropical Garden. Met great local produces of food and drink. Music was playing which I enjoyed sitting on the lawn listening to

Amazing Gardens , shame about the restaurant. Crazy prices on both food and drinks . Cappuccino @ £3 , and it’s terrible!

Fantastic day walking around the late winter/early spring flowers sunny day and great sun traps explore for a few hrs and have an excllent slice of cake

Beautifully kept gardens with an easy to follow map. There are both short and long routes, so suitable for all abilities. Surprising amount in flower in March plus could feed the fish and go across different kinds of bridges. Lots of good photo oportunities and a pleasant couple of hours spent there. Restaurant looked very inviting, but we didn't have time to go in there.

We arrived by accident . We didnt plan to go here but driving past thought we would have a look . A fiver each including tea . Bargain.

Lovely trip today to the gardens and cafe. Really lovely day out, staff great, facilities good and prices very reasonable. Lovely gift shop too and they make a good brew. Hubby had cake high was good too.

Having enjoyed the gardens we settled for a coffee and cake in the café within the grounds and it was an experience worth trying. They have a good choice of homemade and bought in cakes and a small menu including cream tea. Bit expensive but the portions were large and tasty. Recommended

We came here for the lighting up of the gardens that were switched on by Martin Clunes.

Spent the August bank holiday whiling away the hours surrounded by the beautiful plants and gardens then delicious cake and a cuppa on the verranda of the colonial tea room If you love peace and quiet and beautiful surroundings this is your place

After visiting the fabulous gardens, we had coffee under the veranda on a lovely sunny day and surrounded by greenery. Very nice espresso from a proper espresso machine. Recommended.

The restaurant was lovely, the food was tasty and the walk around gardens was superb. I would recomend this to anyone who wants a lovely afternoon out.

On a second visit to the gardens , we were very disappointed with the cakes. Two choices were very dry and returned one of them. If they slice up cake , it is lightly to go this way, better to keep it whole and cut sliced as it is needed. Appreciate this is for service reasons but needs looking into.

I visited these gardens today with a friend and we were both very disappointed. There was very little colour and we didn’t think the plants had been tended very well. Several fronds on the Palms were dead and drooping and we saw only three people doing any work on the gardens and two of these men were chopping down a tree. The plants and flowers around the shop and cafe were much more colourful and better looked after. Certain areas in the gardens had signs showing what position they were on the main map but there were very few maps around the route so this was pointless. Perhaps for the £12.50 fee for entry we should have been given a copy of the main map.

In the 19th century the garden provided good conditions for plants from the Himalayas, China and Japan. There are stunning views from the viewpoint at the top of the Magnolia Walk[ a bit of a climb!] The rope bridge is great fun. There are plenty of seats to admire the camellias, rhododendrons and hydrangeas.

The restaurant has a wonderful 'colonial' atmosphere and the surrounding gardens add to it's stylish feel. We called in for afternoon tea, which was very good, but £3.65 for a piece of lemon drizzle cake is TOO much!

This is the 2nd time we have been to the sub tropical gardens. This is a lovely 'escape' that both us, the humans, and the dogs (on leads) enjoy. Both times have been out of season (May and September) and it was quiet. The rope bridge brings the big kid out.

Spent a pleasant afternoon wandering around all the small paths through the various areas. Many of the plants were in bloom and was well worth the entrance fee. Athough there were a lot a vehicles in the car park due to the nature of the gardens it did not appear to be crowded.

First, this review has nothing to do with the gardens which are very good. This is about the restaurant. When we arrived six of the eight main courses had run out. We asked if we could have the burger with salad instead of chips. This was apparently not possible: not attempt at "special" service made. When a burger did arrive it had no cheese at all and was just a piece of meat between two pieces of 'fake' bread with rocket on the top. For £14.50!! The ham in the 'home cooked ham' egg and chips was like that you get from a Tesco packet, which is ok, but hardly justifies £11.50.

Beautiful gardens and restaurant. Very colonial, as if you are in Singapore. Lovely ambience, so calm with appropriate furniture.

Not your average English garden . The plants are a surise given the nature of the climate and the recent heavy snowfalls

We had a cream tea and a small piece of honeybuns cake. The scone was dry, all the other cakes on display looked pretty dry too. Honeybuns cake was nice but £2.95 for 50g of cake?? Complete rip off. Enjoy the gardens and eat elsewhere.

Visited on a lovely sunny day in March. Loved everything about the gardens and found it very easy to get around. Lots of benches to rest and admire the fantastic trees and plants. Totally recommend a visit and very dog friendly.

We visited this garden on a cold and windy November day (it is open all year round, but because of special events it's best to check before going). We crossed from the car park, paid for our entrance in the shop, walked past the restaurant,...

We are a local family and we like to support local businesses, especially in the winter when tourist numbers are down. However, yesterday we planned to visit the Colonial restaurant at Abbotsbury gardens, a place we have been before. This time, when we rang ahead, we were told they don't accept bookings for lunch. We arrived at 12.20 and were told the roast, which is only available on Sunday, was sold out. There were fewer than 20 diners in the restaurant and we could see the majority were not eating roast so it seems the chef couldn't be bothered to offer the selection of dishes detailed on their website. A huge disappointment for which the manageress could offer no explanation. The rest of the menu was along the lines of chips, jacket potatoes or lasagne, none of which were elegant alternatives. However, we went 5 miles towards Weymouth and had a 5 star lunch at the Kings Arms in Portesham. Yes, you can book there and even though it was 1pm by the time we arrived, we had a choice of 3 different roast meats and the portions were very generous and delicious. My advice, don't even bother with the restaurant at Abbotsbury gardens, take a stroll through the gardens then eat elsewhere.

Such a good idea, but badly organised. We were there when the event started and many features were not running to time and opened late. Greedy to let so many people in creating a bad visitor experience. Long queues for everything. Bbq ran out of onions and slow slow service. Staff tried their best but just too many visitors. Such a shame because it could have been a good event.

Quite simply,if you're going to sub tropical gardens for lunch etc - don't bother-over priced, poor selection. ... £3.95 for Cornish pasty that was predominantly 60%pastry!

There is free parking across from the garden entrance. You can go into the cafe and shop for free but the garden is worth visiting. There are also plants for sale. Parts of the garden are accessible by wheelchair other bits are quite steep and narrow. We especially liked the rope bridge.

Driving along the Jurassic Coast from Bridport to Weymouth we stumbled upon this attraction in Abbotsbury.It was a lovely late Summers day and my wife (the gardener) suggested we call in.Entry fees are a little high at £12.50 pp (or £10.00 if pre-booked on line)It was interesting to see so many different species of trees that you would not expect to find in this country.It covers quite a large area and the suggested route is clearly marked.At one point you can cross a rope bridge and at another,the foliage has been cut back slightly,giving a clear view of St Catherines Chapel on a nearby hill.Overall it was an enjoyable afternoon.A gentle stroll around will take about 2.5 hours. Note of caution.At one point,towards the end of the suggested route,you will come across a couple of large oblong water features,full of fish.To one side is a machine for which,if you insert 20p,you are able to buy food to give to the fish,When we did it,the machine was empty and we lost our one and only 20p that we had with us.

Called in here on the off chance of tea and scone. Luckily there were several cheese scones left. Really well baked, light and delicious. Coffee and tea hot and well served.

Britain has so many beautiful garden, and this one , for me is so tropical. I enjoyed a tea on the terrace and I took my two children around the easier disabled walk , with a bit of the rope bridge thrown in.

We spent a lovely few hours at tropical gardens which have many spectacular species. The colours are marvellous. The magnolia walk up to the top of the hills ensures a wonderful view of the Jurassic coast when you get to the top.

We had a nice visit on a lovely sunny morning in these beautiful tidy gardens that have the balance between managed and wild absolutely perfect. Staff very friendly and welcoming. Very challenging in places pushing my daughter in her wheelchair and I am fit and strong some parts impossible but that is advertised. We are members of HHA so was free for us but £12.50 seems a bit much to walk around some gardens! No matter how special the gardens. Lunch was very good, reasonably priced and good portions.

We walked to Abbotsbury from Burton Bradstock on a lovely sunny day. We spend a couple of hours wandering around the garden and up to the coastal viewing point. The gardens are peaceful and full or interesting plants, trees and little surprises. After exploring the Gardens we stopped for coffee and cake at the Colonial restaurant, which were very good.

We spent a lovely day at these sub tropical gardens. Beautifully laid out, you did feel at times that you were in the heart of the jungle. The magnolia walk,although a bit of an uphill trek, provides the most spectacular views along the coast. Well worth a visit. Some reviewers complained that the entrance fee was a bit expensive but I found it no dearer than other attractions and on a lovely day ( which we had) you could spend the whole day just enjoying the scenery. The rope bridge brought out my daft side ( I'm in my 60s) The gardens are the best I've seen in a long time.

Just stopped here on the off chance. A great cafe and quite atmouspheric in its own way, being called the Colonial Cafe. There are tables out on the 'terace' and with the fora and funa you could well imagine yourself sitting on a plantation in Burma or some such place. The food and service was excellent with wonderfully tasty cakes and scones as well as very nice tea and coffee. Would definately visit again.

My wife and I visited the cafe here with the intention of then going into the gardens. We were wanting a coffee so the refectory beckoned. Good service and very acceptable coffee and cake. The car park is good and convenient for the garden. We will return some time soon as we were unable to do the gardens justice on this visit.

I would recommend along the short footpath from Abbotsbury as the view is lovely. The gardens are the best i have seen in a long time,and make you feel you have been transported to some exotic country. Please try to get to the top of the very steep hill as the view of the Jurassic coast line is worth the effort.I loved the "Indiania Jones" style rope bridge.

We stumbled across the gardens whilst passing through Abbotsbury. With dog in tow we were unsure if the little chap was allowed in too but he was very welcome !We thought we would be on and out within an hour or so but we stayed the afternoon. Lots of lovely paths and hidden gems..wonderful plants, Lily pond, fish, and absolutely amazing views across to the Jurassic coast line. We Had a pit stop originally for tea and cake at lunch but the Sunday roast was too good to miss. Huge portions ( believe me we like our food) 4 slices of thick Pork with all the trimmings! Roast for 2 incl 2 beers.. £30. Much better than some pub meals...really lovely.Once nicely full, relaxed then had another wander. Once we left we drove out to the beach cafe area and a deckchair and cuppa.Lovely visit

Mid June so the gardens looked in peak condition. I think there could be a lot more labeling so old duffers like me know what we are looking at. Some are labeled and most are not so wasted a lot of time looking. I have visited equally good gardens through the country, and found this garden, at £12 50 to be at the top price end.

We visited here on 5 June - the week of consistent gales! Had we checked in advance of our visit, we would have learned that the gardens were closed, due to high winds. We didn't check....The shop, garden centre and restaurant were still open, and each worth a visit in their own rights, with friendly staff who all seemed to enjoy their jobs. The parts of the formal gardens that we could glimpse from afar inspired us to come back again, with a bit more advance planning!Look out for the golden pheasant. A ridiculously colourful bird, which could be a good advert for a paint manufacturer's colour chart. This bird will cheer the heart on the dullest of days.

A somewhat challenging walk, especially if you take the optional Magnolia Walk which gives beautiful views of the Fleet and a considerable amount of the 17 mile Chesil Beach. Most is far less challenging though and consists of a great many unexpected species and interesting flora as you walk around the area of wooded and plant laden grounds with two ponds the Lilly pond containing some quite sizeable carp and many lesser sized fresh water inhabitants. There is a Rope (wire) Bridge which takes up to 12 people at a time and rocks well while crossing but the lake is only feet away so very safe! There are also some birds usually associated with Australia namely Kookaburra's but these were reared in U.K. And it seems they are actually from Britain originally!!After having a nice walk there is a restaurant and the food was excellent with a large menu to choose from plus the nicest Cappuccino I have had for many a year. There is also a garden shop with a wide variety of some interesting plants for sale and some very varied souvenirs at very attractive prices.

Food was very nice. We sat on the verandah overlooking the gardens. Well kept and inviting place to have a meal or a coffee