Green Island Gardens
Open Gardens, Nursery, Garden Design in Ardleigh, Colchester, Essex.

Green Island Gardens are private gardens, open to the public 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'.

The open gardens and plant nursey are open regularly to the public and for the National Garden Scheme. The gardens are also opened for other charities each year. There is also a tearoom with garden design and photographic exhibition. Last year, a new gravel entrance garden was opened to the public. At Easter 2009 the newly reclaimed and developed woodland to the north of the main gardens will be opening.

Please email Fiona Edmond or call (01206) 230455 for group bookings, guided tours or further info. Evening visits with buffet supper, afternoon teas or childrens parties available.

You can find the Open Gardens and Nursery at Green Island on Park Road, Ardleigh, nr Colchester.
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.

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Open Gardens & Nursery - 2009 opening dates and times

Opening times for 2009
10am - 5pm
February 1st - November 30th
Sundays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Bank Holiday Mondays




We are open under the National Garden Scheme on Suns Feb 8th, March 29th, July 12th, Nov 8th 2009, and February 21st 2010
Other times by appointment.

Admission: Adults £4.00, Children £1.00



NEW FOR 2009

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 on Sundays and Bank Holiday Mondays.
  
  
• 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. Contemporary sculptures in woodland.

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 £3.00 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

Summer

Autumn

Winter

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 workhops led by Fiona Edmond:

Tuesday 24th March "Planting your garden to look good all year round"
Tuesday 28th March "Planting Design"
Friday 8th March "Introduction to garden Design"
Tuesday 13th October "Planting for Autumn Colour"

Price £50.00 to include coffee on arrival, light lunch and afternoon tea
for booking forms email