© RHS/Clive Nichols

Gardens: open and closing decisions

As the coronavirus spreads, here's what gardens and open spaces are doing over the coming few weeks

Published: March 19, 2020 at 12:02 pm

UPDATE 22 March 2020: Most gardens are now closing entirely and the nation is being advised not to go out unless it is necessary. This list will be updated as we get news, but people must now avoid going anywhere unnecessarily. Keep to the social distancing advice.

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English Heritage gardens

The English Heritage has announced all its pay-for, staffed historic sites are shutting, but that its free-to-enter sites will continue to be open. Free-to-enter sites include

Abbotsbury

Acton Burnell Castle

Ambleside Roman Fort

Belas Knap Long Barrow

Binham Priory

Blackfriars

Donnington Castle

Garrison Walls

Grimspound

Read the full list of sites open here.

Hepworth Wakefield

The gallery is closed, but the garden remains open to the public.

Hauser and Wirth Somerset

The Oudolf Field at Hauser and Wirth in Somerset © Jason Ingram

The galleries and restaurant have temporarily closed.

Chatsworth

Chatsworth Flower Show in 2019
Chatsworth Flower Show in 2019 - © RHS/Georgi Mabee

The garden house, farmyard, adventure playground, gift shops and its restaurants will remain closed until further notice.

Bristol Botanic Gardens

The garden is now closed until further notice.

The Garden Museum

The Garden Museum in London
© Eva Nemeth

The Garden Museum is now closed.

Fibrex Nursery

Now closed but with an excellent mail order service.

Belvoir Castle

Closed in accordance with government advice.

Hestercombe House

Hestercombe House is now closed.

Yorkshire Sculpture Park

WAKEFIELD, ENGLAND - MARCH 14: Draped seated woman by Henry Moore at Yorkshire Sculpture park on March 14, 2012 in Wakefield, England. (Photo by Bethany Clarke/Getty Images)
Photo: Bethany Clarke/Getty Images

Closed until further notice.

Special Plants Nursery

This is now closed to the public.

Forde Abbey

Forde Abbey

The gardens, cafe and house are all now closed until further notice.

Oxford Botanic Arboretum

The garden and Arboretum are now closed.

Petersham Nurseries in Richmond

Petersham Nurseries

Richmond and Petersham Nurseries in Covent Garden are both now closed until further notice.

The Lost Gardens of Heligan

Mud Maid at The Lost Gardens of Heligan
© Heligan Gardens

The garden has made the decision to close until further notice.

Chelsea Physic Garden

Chelsea Physic Garden
Chelsea Physic Garden

The garden has now been closed to the public.

Kew Gardens

Kew Gardens is closing from now until further notice.

Wakehurst

Kew Gardens is closing from now until further notice

The Eden Project

Eden Project
Eden Project - © Hufton Crow/View Pictures/Universal Images Group via Getty Images

The Eden Project has now closed its site to the public.

RHS Gardens

RHS garden Rosemoor
View over Lady Anne's garden in autumn at RHS Garden Rosemoor. - © RHS/Clive Nichols

All RHS gardens have now been closed until the foreseeable future.

Note: the RHS Libraries have closed until further notice.

Barbara Hepworth Sculpture Garden

Closed until 1 May.

Edinburgh Botanic Gardens

Palm House, Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh
© Getty Images

This has been closed to the public until further notice. The same goes for Benmore, Logan and Dawyck.

Arundel Castle

Arundel will now not open to the public from 1 April and will remain closed until further notice.

National Trust gardens

White Garden at Hidcote
White Garden at Hidcote - ©National Trust Images/Chris Lacey

The National Trust's most recent statement is that it is closing all its gardens to the public. It's nature and coastal areas are still open as usual.

National Garden Scheme

The National Garden Scheme has announced it will be closing all its garden events and open days until the foreseeable.

Beth Chatto Gardens

Beth Chatto Talk

The garden has made the decision to close until further notice.

Great Dixter

Great Dixter
© Andrew Montgomery

Great Dixter is due to open on 28 March and at the moment that is still going ahead but in a reduced way, with social distancing measures being observed. Check for further updates. The shop and nursery are still open for mail order.

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