The Bishop's Palace And Gardens
Free RHS Member days
9.30am–5.30pm (10am–4pm in winter), Monday and Friday, 4 January–31 December (24–26 December excluded). Only Friday, 31 March–25 October
Fri (plus Mon, 4 Jan–30 Mar & 28 Oct–23 Dec).
About the garden
Hidden within the ramparts of The Bishop’s Palace in Wells, and surrounded by a moat, lies a 14-acre Grade II-listed garden. Often described as a “hidden treasure”, there is evidence that a garden existed here before Bishop Jocelin began work on the Palace around 1206, as well as a formal 18th-century Dutch-style garden. While little remains of these earlier designs, the gardens have been developed to reflect that historic past. Here visitors can also discover the springs rising into the well pools, which give the city its name.
The garden features specimen trees, flamboyant climbers, bold and luxuriant planting of shrubs and perennials. These contrast with the contemporary Garden of Reflection, where prairie planting combines grasses and perennials with a grove of silver birch trees. Highlights include the Phelps Garden, the arboretum, less formal outer gardens and the Wells border, originally planted by plantswoman Mary Keen. Home to the Bishops of Bath and Wells for over 800 years, the Palace buildings and Chapel are also open to the public.
Facilities
- Children’s play area
- Plant sales
- Refreshments
- Toilets
Key features
- Herbaceous border
- Pond or lake
- Autumn colour
- Colour themed borders
- Water garden
- Winter garden
Get involved
The Royal Horticultural Society is the UK’s leading gardening charity. We aim to enrich everyone’s life through plants, and make the UK a greener and more beautiful place.