How different is Wisley from Kew? Are they similar in style and layout or different and if so how?

In addition, has anyone been to the Hampton Court Flower Show? Is that worth doing?

Kew is the national botanical research collection for plants from all around the world (also with historical interest in Kew Palace). Wisley is the RHS's collection of show gardens and test-beds for garden varieties. Each has its charms.

e/novice,

can you give us a little more detail about your trip?

given your reference to the Hampton Court Flower show I'm assuming that you are going to be in or around London in July, which is when the flower show takes place, but that doesn't help me to guess where you're staying!

if you are staying in central London, Kew will be easier to get to :http://www.kew.org/

if you are staying on the outskirts of london or in Surrey, Wisley would also be accessible:

http://www.rhs.org.uk/gardens/wisley

getting there from central London is pretty difficult and frankly, i wouldn't bother, especially if I were going to Kew and/or Hampton court Flower Show.

if you like gardens, you might also enjoy the Chelsea Physic Garden :http://www.chelseaphysicgarden.co.uk/

and the gardens of inner Temple: http://www.innertemple.org.uk/index....&id=3&Itemid=3

IMO - Kew is lovely and has the historic connections. But for gardeners, Wisley is a MUST. It has gorgeous gardens, plant collections, plant test sections, etc. in a perfect world one would visit both. But for someone I the rested in actual gardening, Wisley would be my first choice.

I've been to both multiple times (more to Kew simply because of the convenience to London) and on a lovely spring/summer day Wisley would be spectacular.

Sorry about the typo - my iPad insists on auto correcting.

That should be 'interested in actual gardening'.

jj - any suggestions on how to get to Wisley from central London, if that's where the OP will be staying?

it's not easy!

Annhig,

The idea is to revisit London for few days on our next trip and then spend the rest of the time exploring the Southeast. When we last visited London, we went to Kew on a day when they close late 19:30 I believe but by the time we got there after visiting Hampton Court Palace for the day, it was already 16:30. We only had time for one greenhouse since the greenhouses close at 17:30 while the rest of the garden was open until closing. So we saw the one greenhouse, the rock garden and some other areas of Kew but did not get to explore the rest of the greenhouses. One option this trip is to revisit Kew to explore the greenhouses or to visit Wisley on the Southeast leg of the trip. I was wondering how similar and how different they are to each other.

I was also thinking if we go in July that Hampton Court holds a flower show and was wondering if it was worth a return trip to Hampton Court for the flower show during one of our London days or best to explore other areas of London we missed the first time around.

Train from Waterloo to Woking then taxi (4 miles), or train from Waterloo to Esher, then Bus 515A (in direction of Guildford, stops at the Gardens).

http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...st-england.cfm

just did a long response, e/n, which I then lost.

sulking now.

Kew is all about a collection of botanical species, arranged in a most inviting and interesting way. however, if one of your reasons for going to Kew is to see the Temperate Glasshouse, it has already or is about to close for 5 years for renovation:

http://www.kew.org/support-kew/donat...-house-appeal/

Wisley is more by way of being a succession of model gardens - in summer there will be lovely roses, a herbaceous border to die for, model veg gardens, everything beautifully designed and at the peak of perfection.

both lovely, but quite different.

My wife makes the distinction between gardeners and plantswomen. Wisley is for gardeners.

If you have been to Longwood Gardens in Delaware, they are not dissimilar. I love Wisley but find that the noise from the motorway and from Heathrow can be obtrusive.

you're right about the noise at Wisley, ackislander. THere is one area where to get to it, you have to cross a road by a bridge, I think and the road noise is very intrusive in that area.

still, it's an interesting place.

Kew has a rural offshoot at Wakehurst Place in Sussex which has some beautiful trees, and not a motorway in sight!

http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/wakehurst-place/

I would recommend Hampton Court garden show. We did it a few years ago and absolutely loved it. I would go again if I had the opportunity. Have you seen the movie " Greenfingers"? Some of it is set at the Hampton Court flower show.

Thanks for your replies.

I have been to Longwood Gardens in Delaware. It is very pretty especially in spring. I found the Huntington Gardens in Pasadena CA and the Butchart Gardens in Victoria Canada to be magnificent though.

Been to Hampton Court before to explore the grounds and castle and we loved it--including the live kitchen demonstrations. Have not seen the movie Greenfingers.