Green Island Gardens

About the garden

Owned by

Fiona Edmond/Andy Edmond

Designed by owner Fiona Edmond, Green Island Gardens have been carved out among woodland destroyed in the 1987 Great Storm and now include a terrace, large island mixed beds, seaside, Japanese, gravel and water gardens, as well as extensive woodland gardens and two National collections of Hamamelis and autumn-and-winter-flowering Camellias.

The gardens are designed to look good all year round. Highlights include hamamelis and snowdrops in January and February, camellias, trilliums and woodlanders in March and April, along with bluebells and azaleas in May. Giant tree lilies delight from July to August, and the spectacular autumn colour is provided by a collection of acers, liquidambars, fothergillas, nyssas, stewartias and cotinus.

A range of unusual plants, many of borderline hardiness, thrive in the distinctive island microclimate. The gardens are wildlife friendly, and 2022 saw the opening of a new educational wildlife centre. Explore this garden area and find a variety of wildlife, birds, butterflies, moths, fungi and insects.

The tearoom serves homemade lunches, cakes and snacks. A large new terrace area is opening in 2023, extending the tearoom facilities. Group visits are welcome; the owner gives talks and presentations to horticultural groups and societies at the gardens. The nursery is small but packs in a variety of plants, many rare, that can all be seen growing in the gardens.