Green Island Gardens - Colchester

Lor R.

Very nice 2 hour wander round the beautiful gardens...full of birdsong and butterflies. Great for kids with imagination as well with fairy houses and play areas.

David R.

Visited the gardens today. Extremely disappointed. Not worth the £10 entry fee at all. Plus £2 for a map printed on a home computer?
Tea rooms were filthy and ridiculously overpriced.
Disabled parking was taken up by 4 cars - none of which were displaying blue badges.
Staff member who (eventually) met us at the door was incredibly rude and didn't seem to want to assist whatsoever.
Save your money and visit Beth Chatto instead. At least they provide proper tearooms, facilities for the disabled and concession rates.

James T.

Essex' version of 'Kew Gardens'! Perfect size, you can see the whole place in a day. Plenty or benches around so you can pace yourself. Quiet too so feels more peaceful.

Lovely welcome from the resident doggies!

Free parking. Accessible toilets. Cafe on site. Friendly staff.
Nice selection of plants to buy too.

Kids loved running around and exploring, especially the tree house. They enjoyed the trampolines and swings too.

Well worth a visit!

John W.

Thank you Green Island Gardens for a really enjoyable day out. After a welcoming coffee and scone we set off to explore the garden in all its April splendour. The flower beds were overflowing with colour from azaleas, rhododendrons, camellias, cercis and countless bulbs. Wandering along the winding pathways accompanied by bird song it was a relaxing, refreshing experience.
We’ll be coming back soon.

Bonita G.

It's a really lovely garden now! It's a must see! I liked the wooded drive in before you actually reached the place, it felt like a cool breath of fresh air. It has these beautiful Camellias that to me look like Roses, there's Bluebells everywhere. I liked the Japanese themed garden with the oriental flowers! It has other themed gardens as well, but my favourite was the Japanes one Particularly liked the Acers!. I loved the cottage feel everywhere. I must say here that the owner and Staff have really worked hard to make it what it looks like now. Beautiful! It is Wheelchair accessible and I noticed it has a play area as well for children. It is Wheelchair accessible as well. It also has a lovely Cafe with a nice choice in light lunch. You can eat indoors or outside. Dad and I enjoyed it so much, Dad signed up for a Season Ticket. He was getting some ideas as well.

Elizabeth P.

Our visit was about three and a half hours. The bluebells were in full bloom and looking fabulous. There are gardens and woodded areas planted in a natural informal style and paths that wiggle and wind through. There are lots of log piles for wildlife. And plenty of views and spots to pause. A delicious scone and coffee to finish. This place offers a refreshingly intimate, genuine, and relaxed experience.

Kay B.

Had a lovely afternoon with my husband at Green Island Gardens yesterday, just chilling in the lovely sunshine and enjoying the peace and quiet. Had a lovely cuppa and a sneaky slice of fruit cake in the tearoom, served by a very friendly young lady.
Lots of beautiful flowers and unusual plants to see.
Definitely worth a visit, but allow plenty of time as there is a lot of ground to cover.

Marina T.

Such a beautiful place to visit. The owner of this place is very friendly and approachable. This is the perfect place for you if you are looking for a place where you just want to relax and enjoy beautiful gardens. This is probably one of the very few places where I have seen many different plants. It's fascinating. Everything seems to be done with so much love and care.

There's a tearoom where you can sit for a cuppa and then just go for a walk and see the gardens. The toilets are well maintained and very clean. There's also a car park with plenty of car parking spaces.