Bicton Park & Bicton College Garden

Bicton Park has over 60 acres of beautiful gardens with sweeping lawns, fragrant borders, water features and formal gardens.

Features of the park include a lake and water garden, a formal Italian Garden dating from the early-18th century, a Secret Garden, the Hermitage, an American garden dating from the early-19th century and a Pinetum.

There is also an Arboretum which contains some of the most majestic trees in the country.

In addition there is a range of greenhouses and conservatories. The magnificent curved Palm House, formed from 18,000 pieces of glass, was built in 1815. It is 20 years older than the Palm House at Kew and is more daring in design.

A woodland railway (small extra charge) takes visitors through the Pinetum, around the gardens, up to the Hermitage and back again. Bicton Park also has a museum, a self-service bar and restaurant in the Orangery, a Garden Centre, picnic areas and a range of activities and play areas for children.

Bicton College Garden & Arboretum is set in Grade I listed parkland and approached along a unique avenue of monkey puzzle trees. The college of agriculture has display gardens with a huge number of botanical collections.

The National Collections of agapanthus and pittisporum are held here. Whilst some plants are set out in beds for teaching and study purposes others are laid out in borders to display their effect in general planting.

Features include an old walled garden, a woodland garden and numerous greenhouses. The Arboretum, which has a 0.5 mile walk, is magnificent in the spring. Many rare and unusual plants are on sale at the Plant Centre.