A little piece of Heaven - on Earth..

Green Island Gardens is 20 acres of  award-winning private gardens, open for the public to visit in Ardleigh near Colchester, Essex. Professionally designed by its owner Fiona Edmond, the land is laid out as a series of structured gardens displaying a huge range of unusual trees, shrubs, perennials, and bulbs - 'A Plantsman's Paradise'. Holding two National Collections with Plant Heritage for Hamamelis and Camellias (Autumn and Winter Flowering), Green Island is designed with all seasons in mind, creating year-round horticultural interest and delights for the senses whenever you visit. Featured in Country Living February 2019, The English Garden 2022, and the Lady 2023. Recommended in Great British Gardens and Essex Days Out as well as being awarded Travellers Choice on Tripadvisor several years in a row. RHS Partner Garden of the Year 2024, overall winner and regional winner for East Anglia and the Midlands.

 

How to Find Us 

2025 Opening Dates and Times

January, November & December:
Tuesday –  Saturday 10am – 4pm

February & March:
Tuesday – Saturday 10am – 4pm
Sundays 11am – 4pm 

April – October:
Tuesday – Saturday 10am – 5pm
Sundays & Bank Holidays 11am – 4pm

 

Sorry No Canine visitors except assistance Dogs.

We are wheelchair friendly

RHS Months 2025

Free entry for RHS members from 14th January- 15th April 2025, and from 1st – 31st November 2025 (excluding Sundays)
and every Wednesday throughout the year

Gardeners World 2–for–1 Months 2025

Discount applies 1st September- 12th December only

 

Group Visits

Green Island Gardens welcomes group visits all year round, from horticultural to social clubs we can create a wonderful day out for your group.

Group Visit Information Pack

2025 Admission Prices 

Adult: £10.00
Child: £3.00
Group of 20+: £9.50 per person

 

Season Tickets

Prices from January 1st 2025

Single: £39.00
Double: £54.00 (holder + guest)
Double with 2 names: £69.00 (couple + 1 guest, allowing either partner to use the ticket)

Family ticket from £46.00 available as either a single or double, plus £7.00 per named child (2-16)

 
 

Season Ticket Prices from August 1st 2025

Single: £27
Double: £38 (holder + guest)
Double with 2 names: £49 (couple + 1 guest, allowing either partner to use the ticket)

Family ticket from £31 available as either a single or double, plus £4 per named child (2-16)

 
 

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Gift Vouchers

If you would like to give the gift of entry or season tickets to friends or family, gift vouchers are the perfect way to do this. They can be redeemed for entry, season tickets, in the tearoom and in our nursery, so are a perfect gift for plant and garden lovers. These can be purchased here.

 
 

 

 NEWS

Our First Ever Plant Fair with the Plant Fairs Roadshow

On 4th May we will be hosting our first ever plant fair with the Plant Fairs Roadshow, a group of specialist local nurseries who organise and promote plant fairs in the South East. The plant fair will be an amazing opportunity to purchase locally grown, garden worthy & unusual plants, from knowledgable and passionate growers.

For more information on the Plant Fairs Roadshow go to: https://www.plantfairsroadshow.co.uk/

 

Seasonal Videos

Fiona shares her Garden with you

At Green Island Gardens we create a series of videos that explore different aspects of the gardens and give tips to gardeners of all abilities.

In the above video, follow Fiona Edmond as she shows you the scent-filled wonders of the garden in February. Discover her top 10 picks for scented winter shrubs, including Daphne, Viburnum, and more

Subscribe to our YouTube Channel to keep up to date with our latest videos!

YouTube Channel

 

Learn about Sarcococca in our first video of 2025. A favourite scented Winter flowering shrub that no garden should be without!



 

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Gardens

20 acres of professionally designed gardens by Fiona Edmond including terrace, Japanese garden, huge island beds, water gardens, gravel, seaside gardens and extensive woodland gardens all packed with a host of unusual plants often of borderline hardiness seen thriving in the unique "island microclimate" The gardens are sensitively planted for interest all year round and special highlights include the snowdrops in February, Bluebells and Azaleas in April/May, main borders and water gardens June to September and finally the autumn colour in October/November. 
"A Plantsman's Paradise"
The gardens and plant nursery are open regularly for the public to visit and for the National Garden Scheme and other charities. 

 

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open gardens, garden centre and tea room in Colchester and Essex

Nursery

The nursery has grown to supply plants to gardens that Fiona designs for private clients and to meet the demands of the visitors to the gardens, who often delight at finding so many of the plants that are displayed in the gardens on offer for sale in the nursery.
There is a large choice of shrubs, herbaceous plants and bulbs as well as a selection of ornamental trees for sale.
There are a large number of Acers for sale at reasonable prices.
We aim to keep prices as low as possible, and visitors are invited to write their own plant name labels. 

Fiona can usually be found around the garden and she and her staff will be happy to give any advice on plants in the gardens and the nursery.

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open gardens, garden centre, plant nursey, tea room in Colchester and Essex

Tea Room

Our tea room offers a relaxed place to reflect on the gardens and enjoy some refreshments. In addition to a selection of teas and coffees with a choice of delicious home made cakes and freshly baked scones, light lunches are available daily including a variety of freshly filled baguettes and toasted sandwiches to order, jacket potatoes and home made soups. 
Traditional cream teas with sandwiches, savouries, scones and cakes can be ordered in advance.
We are happy to cater for groups and private parties.
There is a photographic exhibition where wildlife photographs taken all around the world by Fiona's parents can be purchased as prints or cards; and also a garden design exhibition where plans of 'before' and 'after' photographs of gardens that Fiona has designed for private clients can be viewed, along with plans and photographs showing the development of Green Island Gardens.

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History

Green Island was originally part of the Ardleigh Park estate which was owned by Miss Winifred Elin. The house was designed as a bungalow for her by Raymond Erith and built in 1958 where she lived a simple natural existence, entertaining many of her fellow members of the anthroposophical society of which she was secretary in 1939. Part of the the original orchard from the park survived and relics of a small area of garden could be seen. Miss Elin's housekeeper and goddaughter Mrs Cissie Parker inherited Green Island  just after the 1987 hurricane in which much of the woodland was destroyed. In 1996 Fiona Edmond and her husband bought the house and moved to Green Island with their children. Fiona was seriously ill with M.E and over the next ten years the project of redesigning the garden became her 'therapy'. 

Read the full story

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  Weddings

Although we do not have a license to hold traditional wedding ceremonies, we are able to cater for alternative ceremonies and wedding receptions. We will build the package to suit your needs ranging from a Victorian afternoon tea party to a large evening function with hog roast, music and dancing.
 

open gardens, garden centre and tea room in Colchester and Essex

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  Special  Events

National Garden Scheme Open Days 2025

We have a number of National Garden Scheme (NGS) open days coming in 2025! These days help to raise millions of pounds for charity every year, and Green Island Gardens are proud to have been participating in the scheme for 18 years.

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  Photography

Fiona's father Robert Macdonald has a love of Wildlife Photography, which he now shares with Fiona's Mother Marny.

A series of their images as prints and cards taken all around the world can be viewed and purchased in the tearoom at Green Island Gardens.

 

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