Wakehurst Place

Venue Review of Wakehurst Place

Located in West Sussex, Wakehurst Place is a beautiful 465-acre country estate and conservation area managed by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. The gardens charm even those without mud under their fingernails, packing in a host of walled gardens, woodland, a Himalayan glade and a wetland conservation area and lake, with year-round appeal. At the heart of the estate, an imposing Elizabethan mansion leads onto a formal lawn where alfresco drinks receptions can be held looking out over a huge lily pond. Inside, the 60-capacity Gallery is decked with botanical art and there’s a wood-panelled dining room. Both of these spaces are licensed for civil ceremonies and partnerships as well as other private functions, from corporate away-days to dinner dances (on an exclusive-hire basis only). Garden tours can be arranged. It’s also worth noting that all profits help funding for plant conservation programmes.