Sir Harold Hillier Gardens
Sir Harold Hillier was born into a family business which he turned into a UK institution, and his home (now owned and operated by Hampshire County Council) is a living testament to his love of plants, trees and gardens. The 180-acre site houses 14 National Collections, over 600 Champion Trees and 42,000 plants from temperate regions Sir Harold found on his travels around the world.
In June of 1953 the Hillier family took up residence in Jermyn’s House, and Sir Harold Hillier began turning the grounds (all 72 hectares of it) into his private plant collection, travelling and corresponding with experts all over the world to grow specimens here near Romsey in Hampshire; today the collection is managed by Hampshire County Council and comprises over 42,000 plants across 12,000 different species!
The curated gardens stay open all year (except for Christmas and Boxing Day!)so that visitors can marvel at the beauty of nature throughout the seasons. Each spring a massive and diverse array of flowers come into bloom, including Magnolias, Azaleas and Rhododendrons, Japanese flowering trees and more. In summer the garden’s 250m-long Centenary border is “a kaleidoscope of colour” (VisitHampshire.co.uk) featuring Red Hot Pokers, Echinacea, Crocosmia amongst others.
Within the grounds there is a café, restaurant and tea rooms, and there is always something going on both in the gardens and in the main house. Visit the website to see the full range of events including artists’ exhibits and workshops, specially-themed lunches and lectures, kids activities and classes, plus special events like the Annual Family Picnic Concert.
Venue details
- Address:
- Sir Harold Hillier Gardens
- Jermyns Lane
- Hampshire
- SO51 0QA
- Transport:
- No.66 bus from Winchester Railway Station