Ham-made food and beverages
Our large Orangery café offers hot and cold drinks, sandwiches, cakes and biscuits with hot food being served served from 12-2pm. The menu is inspired by Ham House’s homegrown produce, with our 17th century Kitchen Garden providing ingredients all year round, from purple-podded peas to salsify, skirret and scorzonera.
Outside the café there is a terrace area with seating for warm days and views across the Kitchen Gardens, the perfect place to enjoy the view and one or two of our signature National Trust scones as part of an indulgent cream tea. In the courtyard on some warm days and weekends, the ice cream parlour is open offering a wide selection of flavours from Judes’ ice cream and a small drink selection.
Perfect picnics
Ham House Gardens has several picnic areas, each with a different view and feel. In summer you’ll find the lawns in our plats area just south of the house give you views of the house, and the wildflower meadows full of bees and other insects. All year round the Wilderness area offers a quiet place to enjoy a picnic surrounded by winding mown paths, flower borders and tall hornbeam hedges. Next to our natural play area you’ll find picnic tables perfect for little one’s lunches and families.
Group visits to Ham House and Garden
Ham House Garden offers a great day out for groups. With guided walks and plenty of room to explore, we'll ensure you all have an enjoyable visit. The garden is an ideal place to visit with a group of 15+ people. We offer a great day out all year round, with pre-booked visits.
We offer a discount on our standard admission price, and optional extras such as refreshments or a garden tour with one of our volunteer garden guides. In order for us to accommodate all groups and offer a pleasant experience to visitors, all group visits need to be arranged in advance. If you will be arriving by coach, please speak with us before your visit for details about coach drop off and parking.
Families
We very much welcome families to the garden at Ham House, it is here for everyone to enjoy. There is a range of year-round events for families with children of all ages. We offer a family ticket (for 2 adults and any children), which can be purchased at the ticket office. Family membership is also available and is a great choice allowing you to visit Ham House as well as 500 other properties for a whole year.
See above for just a few ideas of the many places you could take a family picnic at Ham House, or share a Ham-made meal together. As well as a natural play area, you’ll also find plenty of space for the kids to let off steam while you take in the sights and sounds of the different parts of the historic garden. There’s a family tasting area in our Kitchen Garden too, where we encourage children of all ages (adults too!) to experience the flavour of our edible flowers and fruits.
Pushchairs are welcome in the grounds and café but unfortunately due to the narrow 17th century doorways we cannot welcome them into the house. Baby carriers and hip seats are provided for your use and baby changing facilities are available. Pushchairs may be left under cover in the porticos beside the house (at your own risk). Children will find it very difficult to use scooters and balance bikes on our gravel paths. You are encouraged to leave them with our team at visitor reception.
Our homepage has details of activities for the whole family that can make a visit to Ham House and Garden even more special.
Dogs are welcome
Dogs and their well-behaved owners are welcome all year round at Ham House and Garden, thanks to a successful trial and overwhelmingly positive feedback from visitors, staff and volunteers.
To help you and our other visitors enjoy your visit with your four-legged friend we simply ask that:
- All dogs please keep your owners on short leads and vice versa.
- Dog waste bins are available on site should the need arise.
- Short leads and spare dog waste bags are available at Visitor Reception if you require them.
- Well-behaved dogs are very welcome in all outside areas, inside our Gift Shop, and in their own area inside our Orangery Café. To keep our lawns perfect for picnics and roly-polys, visitors are asked to keep to the gravel paths where possible.
Access/ paths
Please be aware that paths throughout the gardens are gravelled and areas in our courtyard and entrance have uneven, historical cobbles. Mobility scooter and wheelchairs are available and booking in advance of your visit is recommended. Please phone our main line or email to book. A level access map of the property is available. The ground floor of the house is accessible to wheelchair users.
Shopping
Housed in one of our 17th century outbuildings, the shop is a warm and inviting space brimming full of gift ideas, tasty treats and children's toys. Why not browse for a souvenir, local produce or a plant to take home for your garden? You can also stop by our second hand book shop on your visit. When you pick up something from our shop today, you help us nurture Ham’s garden for tomorrow.