EMAIL: office@waterperrygardens.co.uk

Waterperry Gardens is a tourist attraction with a garden centre tacked onto it. Many of the plants are grown on site but this garden centre is not really a destination in its own right. There are several better ones in the area with lower prices and a larger stock of plants.

They do however specialise in two particular areas, herbaceous plants and alpine plants. Many of the plants sold can be seen growing in the gardens in their natural conditions, always useful. Hardy plants come with a three year guarantee.

A major problem with the garden centre is the pricing, most plants are definitely above the average prices for this area and there is no noticeable quality gain.

There is a tearoom in the gardens and the vast majority of the food is prepared in the kitchens. The indoor cafe seating area is basic and not one of the good points, The outdoor seating area, for warm days, is far more pleasant.

Although the tearoom has only basic decor, the menu has pretensions to be much more upmarket, the prices are certainly higher than the average garden centre cafe. Food quality is OK and the menu has some interesting and slightly unusual items on it.

As well as the garden centre and cafe, there is of course the Waterperry Gardens themselves. These cost £6.30 for entrance (£4.30 in winter) and that's slightly above average for what is on offer. The gardens are well laid out and very well kept, herbaceous plants are most definitely the speciality in these gardens.

The shop is for those looking for slightly unusual, and it has to be said, expensive gifts. Other attractions advertised are an arboretum but this is most definitely in its infancy and has little to offer the average gardener. The church, next to the main house, is well worth a visit though.