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Garden Name: Bicton Park Botanical Gardens
Last Modified: 08/02/2010
Garden ID: 0301

pic: 0301_bicton.jpg

Owner: Simon & Valerie Lister
Address:
East Budleigh
Budleigh Salterton

Postcode: EX9 7BJ
County: Devon

tel: 01395-568465
fax: 
website: www.bictongardens.co.uk
email: info {at} bictongardens.co.uk

Features: 
Italian Garden, Palm House and parkland with lakes, fountains and over 1,000 trees.
Newly restored 19th century hermitage.

English Heritage Grade:
I

Opening Times:
All year, except Christmas Day & Boxing Day; daily; 10am - 6pm in summer & 10am - 5pm in winter.

Best Times of Year to Visit: 


To see: 


National Collection: 


National Garden Scheme days: No
Comments: 

Parties / Coaches: Yes 
Comments: 

Viewing by Appointment: Yes
Comments:  

House Open for Viewing: Yes
Comments: 

Admission Prices:
Adult £7.95; Child 3-16 £6.95; Concessions £6.95; Family (2A + 2C) £19.95; Dogs £1. Child under 3 years free.
Extras: Train ride Child 2-16 £1.30, Concession £1.50, Adult £1.50; Mini-golf £1
Annual membership: Adult £14, Couple £28, Concessions £12, Double Conc. £38, Family £38, Small Family £37

Parking: Yes
Lavatories: Yes
Disabled Access: Yes
Shop: Yes
Plants for Sale: Yes
Lunches: Yes
Teas: Yes
Refreshments: Yes
Picnics: Yes
Dogs allowed: Yes
Only on Lead: Yes
Events: Yes

Other Facilities:
A narrow-guage railway offers scenic rides and there are indoor and outdoor play areas for children. Also a large museum, restaurant, shop, garden centre and nature trail.


Designer: Lady Louisa Rolle
Description of Garden:
The magnificent 63-acre (25 ha) historic park is superbly landscaped with lakes and fountains. It also contains more than 1,000 trees including 300 species and 25 champion specimens together with many flowering plants including camellias, magnolias, rhododendrons, mimosas, a tulip tree and probably the oldest wisteria in Britain.

Bicton Park is renowned for its 18th century formal Italian Garden with walled borders and formal beds and the 19th century Palm House, which ranks among the world's most elegant glass buildings. The Palm House features rare and exotic plants including orchids, cacti, begonias, pelargoniums and brilliantly coloured shrubs. There is also a Victorian fernery, old and modern roses, dwarf conifers, waterside and Mediterranean-type plants.


History: 
The Italian Garden was laid out in c.1735, reputedly to a design by Andre le Notre. The Palm House, one of the oldest and most beautiful curvilinear iron glasshouses, dates from c.1825-30. It was the first of many developments inspired by Lady Louisa Rolle, who also established the arboretum, pinetum, hermitage, American garden, shell house and fernery. She also built St. Mary's Church where Queen Victoria, George VI and the late Queen Mother worshipped during visits to Bicton.

Local Inns: 
Kings Arms, Otterton

Accomodation: 
Kings Arms, Otterton

Restaurants: 
Gardeners

Village/Town/Sightseeing: 
East Devon Jurassic Coast