THE PIG-in the South Downs
Sustainable travel | Overnight | Accommodation | Hotel  
Dine, stay and relax at THE PIG-in the South Downs — a restaurant with rooms where everything starts with the Kitchen Garden.
In the heart of Sussex lies Wakehurst, Kew’s wild botanic garden. Wakehurst’s 500 acres of ancient and beautiful landscapes in the Sussex High Weald offer a place for escape, exploration, tranquillity and wonder, where a diverse collection of plants from Britain and around the globe thrive within a tapestry of innovative gardens, temperate woodlands, meadows and wetlands.
The biodiverse landscapes of Wakehurst radiate out from a Grade I listed mansion, entrusted to Kew Gardens by the National Trust (NT). The two organisations work in partnership to care for the estate’s collections and heritage areas.
Wakehurst is a popular garden to visit throughout the seasons, offering opportunities for families to build connections with nature and forge a deeper awareness of how plants and fungi support all life. There’s an exciting programme of events throughout the year, from hands-on workshops, to family trails and the award-winning winter lantern trail Glow Wild. Each event offers a chance for visitors to discover, connect, relax and explore this beautiful botanic garden.
Wakehurst is a centre for UK biodiversity and global conservation, seed research and ecosystem science. At its heart is Kew’s Millennium Seed Bank, the world’s largest store of seeds from wild plant species. The rich habitats of Sussex make Wakehurst an ideal place to research and demonstrate how a biodiverse landscape benefits the environment and people’s wellbeing. The gardens are a living laboratory, where scientific research is in action across the site, from seed research in the Millennium Seed Bank to ground-breaking research in the gardens, uncovering nature-based solutions to climate change and biodiversity loss.
Wakehurst is open all year round with the exception of Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.
Opening hours vary throughout the year: always check the website for the most up to date Wakehurst opening and closing times.
Ardingly, UK. 14 October, 2023. Wakehurst RBG Wakehurst Picture by Jim Holden
Wakehurst members enjoy a host of benefits throughout the year, including exclusive discounts and events, and one free visit to Kew Gardens annually. Members of Kew Gardens also receive free, year-round entry to Wakehurst which includes access to specific members’ events.
Due to Wakehurst’s longstanding relationship with the National Trust, members enjoy free entry. But as Wakehurst is not funded in the same way as other sites, National Trust visitors are asked for a parking charge to help to keep its future thriving.
Sustainable travel | Overnight | Accommodation | Hotel  
Dine, stay and relax at THE PIG-in the South Downs — a restaurant with rooms where everything starts with the Kitchen Garden.
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