Ask any of our staff or members why they love RHS Garden Wisley and you’ll get 100 different reasons. From world-class horticulture and advice to imaginative events and great shopping, Wisley has something special for every visitor.
George Fergusson Wilson, a keen grower of fruit and orchids, bought the site in 1878 and established his ‘Oakwood experimental garden’.
After Wilson’s death in 1902, Sir Thomas Hanbury, founder of La Mortola garden in Italy, purchased Oakwood and adjoining Glebe Farm and donated it to the Royal Horticultural Society for its perpetual use.
Wisley is the flagship garden of the RHS and one of the UK’s most visited and best-loved gardens, attracting around one million visitors each year. Some 75 garden staff, 25 students, four apprentices and 100 volunteers help make a day at Wisley an amazing experience for our visitors.
The garden has expanded hugely over the years to its current size of 97ha (240 acres). If you can’t cover everything in a day, why not become a member and enjoy as many visits as you like.
