Green Island Gardens
Open Gardens, Nursery, Garden Design in Ardleigh, Colchester, Essex.
Green Island Gardens are private gardens, open for the public to visit in Ardleigh near Colchester, Essex. Professionally designed by its owner Fiona Edmond, Green Island Gardens are laid out as a series of structured gardens displaying a huge range of unusual trees, shrubs, perennials, and bulbs - 'a plantsmans paradise'.Surely one of the best gardens open to visit in Essex. Recommended in Great British Gardens 2010The open gardens and plant nursey are open regularly for the public to visit and for the National Garden Scheme. The gardens are also opened for other charities each year. There is also a tearoom newly refurbished with garden design and photographic exhibition. Last year the newly reclaimed and developed woodland to the north of the main gardens opened.
You can find the Open Gardens and Nursery at Green Island on Park Road, Ardleigh, nr Colchester. Do come and visit this garden in Essex
How to find us, Click here.
Green Island is a 20 acre triangular piece of land with the house set in the middle of woodland planted just after 1900. The house was designed by Raymond Erith and built in 1958, along with Nightingales, 'the cottage' and two timber chalets. Much of the woodland was destroyed in the 1987 storm with many mature oaks being lost.
In 1996 Fiona Edmond and her husband bought the house and moved to Green Island with their children. Fiona was seriously ill with M.E and over the next few years used the project of redesigning the garden as her 'therapy'. In 1999 the garden was opened to the public along with a plant nursery.
Materials found on the site have been used throughout the garden, which has been carefully designed as a series of areas with different themes, but all in keeping with the natural surroundings.
Open Gardens & Nursery - 2010 opening dates and times
10am - 5pm
February 1st - November 30th
Sundays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Bank Holiday Mondays
We are open under the National Garden Scheme on Sundays Feb 21st and March 28th
Other times by appointment.
Admission: Adults £4.00, Children £1.00
NEW FOR 2010
Tearoom refurbished
New colour brochures with map and guide to the whole gardens
Detailed map and planting plan with plant names in the tearoom for the plant enthusiast
"Whats looking good" board with guide weekly to the plants that are looking good and where to find them in the gardens
Garden design workshops,and courses, run by Fiona Edmond
For details see the courses section below or email fionaedmond7@aol.com
- Home made teas available in our tearoom which is open the same hours as the gardens
- Regret no dogs except guide dogs.
- Toilets
- Disabled parking available near the entrance. The garden is fairly flat and accessible for wheelchairs.
- Picnicking allowed in the car park but not in the garden.
- Garden Design exhibition in tearoom.
Group visits by appointment. Day time or evenings. We can provide buffet suppers, or hot meals for private parties. Childrens birthday parties also catered for. Groups of 20 or more offered discounted entry of £3.50 per person.
Guided tours available. Please call for details.
Open Gardens, Plant Nursery, Garden Design in Ardleigh, Colchester, Essex
A Garden for all seasons
Spring
Photography Display
Fiona's father Robert Macdonald has helped in the creation of the gardens from the first clearance in 1997 to irrigation systems, rabbit fencing and grass cutting. He has a love of photography, and a series of his photographs taken all around the world reflecting his love of wild animals and birdlife may be seen, and purchased in the tearoom.
Courses
Garden workshops led by Fiona Edmond: 11am-4pmTuesday 23rd March "Planting your garden to look good all year round"
Tuesday 27th April "Planting Design"
Friday 7th May "Introduction to Garden Design"
Tuesday 12th October "Planting for Autumn Colour"
Price £50.00 to include coffee on arrival, light lunch and afternoon tea
for booking forms email
