Business Details
30 Years
experience
Award-Winning Gardens in Colchester
Green Island Gardens, established in 1996, is a 20-acre award-winning private garden near Colchester, Essex, designed by owner Fiona Edmond. The gardens feature structured displays of rare trees, shrubs, and perennials, with National Collections of Hamamelis and Camellias. Open to the public year-round, the site includes a plant nursery, tea room, and educational courses, reflecting Fiona's dedication to horticulture and wildlife conservation.Recognised as an RHS Partner Garden of the Year 2024, it combines therapeutic gardening with visitor experiences, hosting events and workshops to share expertise. The gardens are wheelchair-friendly and support local charities through National Garden Scheme open days.
Services
Garden Visits
Plant Nursery
Tea Room
Gardening Courses
Event Hosting
Gift Vouchers
Group Visits
Photography Exhibits
Plant Fairs
Online Plant Sales
Details
- Year established: 1996
Highlights and features
- Holds RHS Partner Garden of the Year 2024 award
- Maintains National Plant Collections for Hamamelis and Camellias
- Wheelchair-accessible grounds with loanable equipment
- Offers expert-led gardening courses and workshops
- Hosts National Garden Scheme open days for charity
Associations and certifications
- Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) Partner Garden
Services
Garden Visits
Explore 20 acres of professionally designed gardens featuring rare plants and seasonal displays. The site includes structured terraces, woodland areas, and water gardens. Visitors enjoy year-round horticultural interest with special events during peak seasons.
Plant Nursery
Specialist nursery offering plants featured in the gardens, including Acers, Hamamelis, and Camellias. Container-grown specimens available for purchase with expert advice from staff. Seasonal stock includes bulbs and ornamental trees.
Gardening Courses
Practical gardening courses led by Fiona Edmond covering design principles and plant selection. Programs include one-day workshops and six-week evening courses. Participants receive hands-on experience and tailored garden plans.
Tea Room
Relax in a scenic tea room serving homemade cakes, light lunches, and cream teas. The venue features photography exhibitions and garden design displays. Available for private group bookings with pre-order options.
Event Hosting
Host weddings, group visits, and special events in a natural garden setting. Facilities include wheelchair access and event coordination services. Available for corporate functions and private celebrations with catering options.
People
Fiona Edmond
Owner and Creator
Founder of Green Island Gardens, Fiona transformed 20 acres of woodland into award-winning gardens following a career in amateur golf. She holds National Plant Collections and leads educational courses while managing conservation efforts.
Questions
What are the garden opening hours?
Open Tuesday-Saturday 10am-4pm, Sundays 11am-4pm. Closed Mondays and some winter periods.
Are dogs allowed in the gardens?
Assistance dogs only. No other canine visitors permitted for safety and conservation reasons.
Do you offer group visit discounts?
Groups of 20+ receive discounted admission at £9 per person with pre-arranged bookings.
Can I use RHS or Gardener's World discounts?
RHS members get free entry during specified months. Gardener's World 2-for-1 vouchers valid September-December.
Is the garden accessible for wheelchair users?
Yes, the grounds are wheelchair-friendly with loanable equipment available for visitors.
Videos
Reviews (5)
Bahadirka Ken
Oct 24, 2021
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It doesnt worth the 8 entrance fee, nothing special inside, instead lots of dos and donts signs doesnt feel welcoming, its basically someone elses house garden with an entrance fee, not recommended
Arnold Musisi
Oct 07, 2021
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Fantastic way to spend a Sunday afternoon. The gardens are absolutely phenomenal. Recommend you get the guide book (bargain)!! It was amazing to meet Fiona and her team; so friendly and warm. Next time I would probably like to stay on site (if that's an option??). Thank you for having me!!
Batman
Oct 03, 2021
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Found this place by chance after visiting Beth Chatto and certainly preferred it. On a nice day the grounds provide a very pleasant stroll with interesting plants and trees popping up as you go. No doubt the view changes over the seasons but we were very happy with our visit and the plants we purchased. Yes the driveway could do with a bit of patching up and we missed spotting the bell too but this was quickly resolved and Fiona and her assistant were friendly and helpful.
Charlotte
Aug 20, 2021
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Unfortunately, my mum and I didnt have a great experience here today. First of all, the entrance driveway was concealed and we drove straight past it due to lack of a sign post on the road opposite the driveway. As we parked our car, we almost considered not going in as the entrance to the grounds were so unwelcoming and lacklustre, for example the random broken plastic football nets and the burning pile of leaves next to the car park. When we got to the front entrance of the main building it looked like a side door into somebodys house so we were a bit confused as to whether this was the
Bethany Rose
Jun 15, 2021
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Beautiful gardens with lots to see! We walked around for about 3 hours but definitely could've stayed longer if it wasn't for other plans. The lady there is really lovely, she was happy to chat to us about the gardens and even gave us an umbrella to borrow when it absolutely poured it down with rain! The plant shop is wonderful, lots of plants and very well priced. Will try the tea room next time as it looked lovely!
