Exbury Gardens and Steam Railway

Enjoy a day out at Exbury Gardens and Steam Railway near to Southampton in Hampshire.

Here you will find the world-famous Rothschild collection of Rhododendrons, Azaleas, Camellias, rare trees and plants located in a two-hundred acre woodland garden. The gardens are open from March to the end of October and you can ride on the steam railway as you take in the sites. You can even learn to drive a steam locomotive on the one and quarter mile track which takes about twenty minutes to complete the journey.

If you prefer to use your feet there is about 20 miles of paths so you may want to stop and have a nice cup of tea in Mr Eddy’s Tearooms and buy something to remember your day out in the gift shop.

Through out the season there are special events and exhibitions both inside and outside in the gardens including craft fairs, open-air theatre & orchestral evenings and a Santa Steam Special at Christmas.

This would be a good place to go if you are interested in gardens and do not want to travel very far.

The Gardens open for the season usually in March, and have recently  celebrated the 90th anniversary of the purchase of the Exbury Estate by Lionel de Rothschild in 1919.

Before developing the world-famous Rothschild Collection of rhododendrons and azaleas at Exbury, Lionel was an enthusiastic and expert photographer, perfecting a process using colour plates known as autochromes.

Now these autochromes, which were discovered in a dark cupboard in Exbury House, form an important part of the Rothschild Archive. Despite the time that has passed they have lost none of their colour or freshness.

Exbury is more than just a garden. The Exbury Estate has been a centre for local employment and a community for hundreds of years. Exbury Gardens is a charitable company registered with the Charity Commission for England and Wales. (Registration number 801349).

Railway enthusiasts will enjoy the new extension to the Engine Shed, build to house Mariloo, the steam engine launched by Her Majesty the Queen in 2008. It will be open for inspection, containing railway memorabilia, videos and exhibits. To mark the tenth anniversary of Exbury’s garden railway, which will welcome its 500,000th visitor early this season and to help families enjoy an extra day out, high-season paying visitors to the award-winning attraction and Rhododendron Line will receive a free ticket to see the late colour in September and October.

Primrose and Camellia Walks follow, along with Plant Hunter tours for families and Exbury’s traditional Easter celebrations.

The gardens offer woodland walks and world famous displays of rhododendrons, azaleas and camellias. Art and sculpture exhibitions are regularly held.

Breakfast Walks, a Spring Craft Fair, railway events, including a new ‘woodland adventure’, open-air theatre, PhotoTrek workshops, family trails and events for children will take place during the season.

The hugely popular Ghost Trains and Santa Specials will steam through the Gardens at Hallowe’en and during December.

“We are delighted that the 90th anniversary of my family moving to Exbury sees the public exhibition of some of my father’s wonderful early photographs,” said Leopold de Rothschild. “They were taken more than 100 years ago, and show many gardens, here and in Europe. Later he devoted much of his considerable energy in building the wonderful garden here that we are proud to share with garden lovers everywhere,” he said.
New display boards, explaining different aspects of the Garden and the plants and trees within it are also being placed this year.

After your walk why not take a strol into Mr Eddy’s Restaurant and Tearooms or the Exbury Gift Shop and Plant Centre which share the same visiting hours as the Gardens.

Exbury Gardens open usually in March until early November. For more information please visit Exbury’s website www.exbury.co.uk Exbury Gardens is about twenty minutes drive, south of the M27 at junction two going westwards.

Car Parking

There is plenty of space for parking and bays for blue badge holders are at the front of the main car park nearest to the Gardens entrance.

Visitors with disabilities and Wheelchairs

The Gardens are fairly level with the main paths being suitable for wheelchairs. Carers are admitted free of charge into the Gardens on a one to one basis when in the care of a disabled person, who pays the concessionary rate.

Exbury provides a limited number of wheelchairs (non motorized) free of charge, available on a first come first served basis from the admission gate. Wheelchair access maps identify routes  suitable for wheelchairs and are obtainable at the Admission Gate. Please ensure you ask for one. Motorised scooters are welcomed in the Gardens as long as users keep to the recommended pathways.

Exbury Gardens and Steam Railway
The Estate Office
Exbury
Southampton
Hampshire SO45 1AZ

Telephone: 023 8089 1203

Open: Daily - 10am to 5pm last admission. Please note that the gates will close at 6pm or dusk if it is earlier.

chandlersford.org.uk