Exbury Gardens
Exbury Gardens, Exbury, near Beaulieu, Hampshire
A 200-acre woodland garden beside the Beaulieu River, created by Lionel de Rothschild from 1919 and famous for rhododendrons, azaleas and camellias, with a narrow-gauge steam railway.
Visit information checked 22 October 2026
Garden UK guide
Why visit Exbury Gardens?
Exbury is one of the great woodland gardens, and spring is when it is famous. Lionel de Rothschild began it in 1919, and its 200 acres hold huge collections of rhododendrons, azaleas and camellias,. More than 22 miles of paths wind through the woods, so no two visits need be the same. The gardens are Grade II* listed and hold National Collections of Nyssa and Oxydendrum, both grown for their autumn colour, which makes Exbury a two-season garden.
Named areas help you plan a route. Try the Rock Garden, the Iris Garden, the Hydrangea Walk, and the Sundial, Centenary and Herbaceous Gardens, which carry flower colour well into autumn. The Camellia Walk takes you down to a path beside the Beaulieu River and back by the pond. Inside, the Five Arrows Gallery shows lachenalias and orchids, and each October an exhibition of Nerine sarniensis. The Exbury Steam Railway, built in 2000 to 2001, runs through a tunnel, round Dragonfly Pond, through the Summer Lane Garden, along the top of the rock gardens and into the American Garden, and needs a separate ticket.
Gardeners will come away with ideas for layering shrubs under trees and for choosing plants with autumn colour. Dogs are welcome on a short lead. Food comes from Mr Eddy's Restaurant and the Old Tennis Courts outdoor café, among others, but the site does not take cash. The gardens may close without notice in extreme weather, such as high winds, so check the website and social media before setting off.
What to see
- The rhododendron, azalea and camellia collections that made Exbury's name.
- The Camellia Walk down to the Beaulieu River and back via the pond.
- The Rock Garden, Iris Garden and Hydrangea Walk.
- The Sundial, Centenary and Herbaceous Gardens for late-season colour.
- The National Collections of Nyssa and Oxydendrum for autumn colour.
- The Exbury Steam Railway through the Summer Lane and American Gardens.
Exbury Gardens through the year
- spring
- This is Exbury's high season, when the world-famous rhododendrons, azaleas and camellias flower through the woods.
- summer
- The Hydrangea Walk and the Herbaceous, Sundial and Centenary Gardens take over, and the steam railway is in full swing.
- autumn
- Autumn is the second high season, with Nyssa and Oxydendrum colouring and nerines on show in the Five Arrows Gallery.
- winter
- The gardens are open for most of the year rather than all of it, so check the official site for winter dates and seasonal events.
The story behind the garden
Lionel Nathan de Rothschild, who called himself a banker by hobby and a gardener by profession, bought the Exbury estate in 1919 and set out to make a garden on the scale of his father's at Gunnersbury Park. The work took 150 labourers and 60 trained gardeners, along with plant hunters and propagators, and the infrastructure included a water tower, three large concrete-lined ponds and 22 miles of underground piping. In 1923 the plant hunter Frank Kingdon-Ward predicted it would be the eighth wonder of the world.
The neoclassical Exbury House was built around an older structure in the 1920s and remains private. The gardens are now run by a registered charity, Exbury Gardens Limited. The steam railway was added in 2000 to 2001, and its larger locomotive Marriloo, introduced in 2008, once carried Queen Elizabeth II on a footplate ride.
Plan your visit
- Best for
- Lovers of rhododendrons, azaleas and woodland gardens, dog walkers, and families who want a steam train ride as part of the day.
- Getting there
- Exbury Gardens is in the village of Exbury on the edge of the New Forest, just east of Beaulieu and across the river from Buckler's Hard. It is signposted from Beaulieu and from the A326 Southampton to Fawley road, and in summer the New Forest Tour open-top bus stops here.
- Before you go
- Booking online in advance earns a discount, children under 16 must be with an adult, and the railway needs its own ticket. Check the official Exbury Gardens website for current opening times, ticket prices and any weather closures.
Source: Exbury Gardens: Visit us
Questions about visiting Exbury Gardens
When is the best time to visit Exbury Gardens?
Spring, for the rhododendrons, azaleas and camellias that Exbury is famous for. Autumn is the second high season, when the Nyssa and Oxydendrum collections colour up and the nerine exhibition runs in the Five Arrows Gallery.
Can you take dogs to Exbury Gardens?
Yes, dogs are very welcome at Exbury Gardens. They need to be kept on a short lead, and owners are asked to clear up after them, so the woodland paths make a good dog walk.
Do you need a separate ticket for the Exbury steam railway?
Yes. To ride the Exbury Steam Railway you need a valid gardens admission ticket or membership plus a train ticket. The line runs through a tunnel, round Dragonfly Pond and into the American Garden.
Who created Exbury Gardens?
Lionel de Rothschild, of the banking family, bought the estate in 1919 and created the garden with a workforce of around 150 labourers and 60 gardeners. It is now run by a charity, Exbury Gardens Limited.
Is there a café at Exbury Gardens?
Yes. Mr Eddy's Restaurant and the Old Tennis Courts outdoor café serve visitors, with the Potting Shed and an ice cream kitchen open at some times. The site is cashless, so bring a card.
Garden features
Location
Exbury Gardens, Exbury, near Beaulieu, Hampshire
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