How do I find a National Garden Scheme garden to visit and what does admission cost?

Updated

Use the "find a garden" search on ngs.org.uk to browse the roughly 3,500 private gardens that open to the public across England, Wales, Northern Ireland and the Channel Islands. Admission is designed to be affordable: the average adult ticket in 2026 is £6.37, up 24p on 2025, and in most cases children under 16 go free.

Finding a garden to visit

The National Garden Scheme (NGS) opens private gardens that are not normally accessible to the public. The site's search tool is the main way in.

  • Where it covers: England, Wales, Northern Ireland and the Channel Islands.
  • How many gardens: the site describes over 3,300 gardens opening, and its search covers around 3,500 listings.
  • What you're searching for: individual gardens and open days, not a single venue, so results depend on your location and the date you want to visit.

A practical approach:

  1. Open the find-a-garden search on ngs.org.uk.
  2. Enter a place or postcode near where you want to visit.
  3. Check the opening date and time for each garden — most private gardens open only on selected days, often seasonally.
  4. Note anything the listing says about facilities, accessibility or refreshments before you travel.

What admission costs

Item Cost
Average adult admission (2026) £6.37
Change vs 2025 +24p
Children under 16 Free in most cases

The NGS frames these visits as affordable days out and good value for money. Two things to keep in mind:

  • £6.37 is an average, not a fixed price. Individual gardens set their own admission, so expect some to be cheaper and some higher.
  • "In most cases" children go free. Treat free child entry as the norm rather than a guarantee, and check the specific garden's listing if you're bringing children.

Where the money goes

Admission fees, along with proceeds from teas and cake, are donated to nursing and health charities. The NGS reported a record £3,875,596 donated from garden openings in 2025, supporting people living with cancer, Parkinson's, poor mental health, or the pressures of unpaid caring.

If knowing the purpose matters to you, this is the core of the scheme: you pay a modest entry fee, and the funds go to health charities rather than to a commercial operator.

Other things the site lets you do

Beyond visiting, ngs.org.uk supports a few related actions:

  • Open your own garden. Garden owners can apply to open their private garden to visitors as part of the scheme.
  • Take part in the Big British Garden Survey. A biodiversity project run with the UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (UKCEH); you register your garden and take part before 30 September.
  • Apply for a Community Garden Grant. Applications for 2027 grants, supported by the Julia Rausing Trust, open between Tuesday 29 September and Friday 30 October 2026.
  • Sign up for updates. A newsletter form collects your email and name to hear about gardens, events and activities through the year.

Quick answers

Is it free to visit? No — there is an admission charge, averaging £6.37 for an adult in 2026, though children under 16 usually go free.

Do I need to book? The source material doesn't state a booking requirement; check the individual garden's listing, since private gardens often have limited opening days.

Can I visit any time? No. These are private gardens that open on selected dates, so always confirm the date before travelling.