Garden Tour & Cream Tea at West Dean Gardens

Date: Various dates, see below
Time: 1pm- 4pm

Price: £32pp includes cream tea in West Dean House.

Enjoy an exclusive tour of the famous West Dean Gardens with two senior and knowledgeable members of the Garden Team, Chantal Sparrow and George Ellis followed by a delicious cream tea in the prestigious Oak Hall in West Dean College.

George and Chantal will spend a couple of hours giving you expert insight into the running and management of key areas of the Garden. Seasonal highlights will be explored and explained, including the Walled Kitchen Garden, Victorian Glasshouses, Orchard, Dry Meadow, Edwardian Pergola and Sunken Garden, as well as a behind-the-scenes look at our new market gardens where a greater emphasis is put on producing seasonal food for our visitors and students at West Dean.

After a tour of the Garden, you’ll be guided by George and Chantal to the Oak Hall, which is not usually accessible to the public, to relax in the opulent surroundings of the West Dean College with a cream tea, if you have any dietary requirements please let us know at the time of booking by emailing westdeanevents@westdean.ac.uk.

Tour overview:
1 pm - Meet your tour guide on the Gardens side of the Visitor Centre
3 pm - Conclusion of tour outside the College
3-4pm - Cream tea in the Oak Hall

Tour dates:

24th  March 2026

21st  April 2026

26th May 2026

30th June 2026

28th July 2026

25th August 2026

29th September 2026

27th October 2026

General Information:

Sometimes the tracks and paths can be muddy, steep and uneven – please wear suitable footwear and take care.

Please wear appropriate clothing for the time of year.

Regrettably as the cream tea is held inside the house we cannot allow dogs on the tour.  

If you have any specific access needs, we will need to know about your access requirements in advance. Please tell us about your needs in confidence by emailing: meetings@westdean.ac.uk.

This venue has steps to the front reception, with limited access via a side gate to the ground floor. There is a small lift to higher floors or stairs.

Please take care around water in the garden

Be aware that garden vehicles may be moving around

Please note that the garden tour lasts approximately 2 hours and involves continuous walking and standing, so we recommend wearing comfortable footwear and being prepared for the duration

Cancellations:

Cancellations are permitted up to 14 days before the start of a tour, cancellations within 14 days of the tour are non refundable. You have the right to cancel within the statutory 14 day cooling off period If you have any questions or queries please contact us at meetings@westdean.ac.uk.

We reserve the right to cancel a tour in unusual circumstances. We try to avoid this where possible, but sometimes it is unavoidable. In this situation, a full refund will be given. We’re sorry that we cannot be financially responsible for extreme weather conditions, travel disruption or any other situations that are outside our control.

Disclaimer:

Information given is accurate at the time of publication. However West Dean College reserves the right to cancel or amend tours if bookings do not meet the minimum requirement to run.