Discover more at Woolbeding Gardens
Find out when Woolbeding Gardens is open, how to get here, the things to see and do and more.
The Woolbeding Glasshouse and Silk Route Garden
The National Trust has supported The Woolbeding Charity to construct and open to the public a bespoke new glasshouse and gardens, designed by Heatherwick Studio. The striking ten-sided glasshouse and landscaped series of garden zones exhibit plants, shrubs and trees that depict the key regions of the Silk Route.
Colours of Christmas at Petworth House
Sat 25 November 2023 to Mon 1 January 2024, 10.30am–4.30pm. Closed 24 and 25 December.
Petworth House is open 10.30am–4.00pm. Last entry is 4pm. The garden and main car park close at 5pm
Explore Petworth House to see the colours of Christmas taking centre stage this season.
- From the rainbow-themed Reception you'll enter through Oak Hall, adorned in flowers from nearby Woolbeding Gardens and atmospheric tones inspired by the sunset in George Jones' painting 'The Battle of Waterloo'.
- Continue your journey through the Somerset Room where the vivid colours and decorations bring the collection to life.
- Marvel at the magnificent tree in the Square Dining Room, decorated in blue Chinoiserie baubles inspired by the room's paintings and ceramics.
- Step into an enchanted winter garden in the Marble Hall, and see the colourful archway and a majestic sleigh pulled by foliage deer.
- The Little Dining Room will be wreathed in natural greens under a leafy garland light display.
- In the Carved Room the work of Grinling Gibbons has been recreated in brilliant gold and festooned on the trees in celebration of his ornate carvings.
- You won’t miss the Red Room’s showstopping 15ft-high tree, decorated in striking red.
- Your journey doesn't end there. In the Chapel you'll find colourful labels on which to write your Christmas wishes and hang them on one of the fabulous trees.
- On weekends in December there will be choirs performing in the courtyard. The Christmas Makers Market will return on 2 and 3 December, with even more stalls than last year.
- On Saturday 2 and Friday 22 December you can experience a magical evening atmosphere with our festive late openings.
The Servants' Quarters
Food, drink and Christmas sale shopping
Visit the Historic Kitchens to see a showstopping display of festive treats. If you look closely you may spot some playful mice hiding amongst the tempting desserts.
Visit the shop for some perfect Christmas gifts and the Audit Room Café for warming food and drink.
Planning your visit
The Christmas and New Year period can be a busy time at Petworth. Most of our visitors tend to arrive between 11am and 2pm, which can cause congestion in the car park. If you arrive at 10am you might find it a little quieter, or if you arrive after 2pm, there’s still time to enjoy all that Petworth has to offer as last entry to the house is 4pm.
If you have the flexibility, a weekday visit is generally quieter than a weekend, even during school holidays. If you can only visit over the weekend, Saturdays are usually less busy than Sundays.
The Silk Route Garden
The Silk Route Garden surrounding the Glasshouse invites visitors on a 12-step journey through a landscape influenced by the ancient trading route between Asia and Europe where commodities such as silk were exchanged and, along which many plants species, were brought back to Britain for the first time, such as rosemary, lavender and fennel.
A winding path allows visitors to move through over 300 species and 12 distinct regions of the Silk Road. From Mediterranean evergreens where visitors can enjoy a rare variety of Mullein (Verbascum sp.) grown from a seed brought here by a friend of Woolbeding Gardens, through to the richly scented Gallica roses, now so popular in England but originally introduced to Europe by traders from Persia.
The Glasshouse itself shelters an impressive, rare specimen of an Aralia Vietnamensis which provides shade for a collection of tender ferns growing alongside umbrella trees, magnolias and bananas.
An exciting new structure
General Manager, Adam Hastie says, 'I am delighted that after six years of development, design, planning, construction, testing and planting, the glasshouse and silk route gardens are now open to visitors.
'Not only have we created an exciting new structure within a beautifully landscaped space, but the meandering garden zones are a fascinating way to enjoy both familiar and new plant species of the Silk Route. I am grateful to the generosity of the Woolbeding Charity for funding this project and to the many individuals and organisations who have brought Stewart Grimshaw’s vision to life in such a stunning and innovative way.'
How to see the Heatherwick Glasshouse
Entry to the Glasshouse is included in our general admission tickets. If you would like to see only the Glasshouse, without viewing the rest of the garden, there are a small number of free tickets each Thursday and Friday to see only the Glasshouse within a pre-determined time slot, but these must be booked in advance. To obtain a ticket, please email the property directly at woolbedinggardens@nationaltrust.org.uk. Please note, free Glasshouse Only tickets do not allow admission to the rest of the garden.
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Things to see and do at Woolbeding Gardens
Explore the 26-acre garden and see the garden rooms, classical Tulip Folly, ruined abbey, gothic summerhouse, river-god grotto and the new Silk Route garden and glasshouse.
History of Woolbeding Gardens
A history of Woolbeding Gardens, a horticultural haven bursting with colourful planting, a contemporary glasshouse and countryside views.
