The Gibberd Garden

A wonderful afternoon my partner and I had at The Gibberd Gardens.
We thought our afternoon would just consist of looking around a garden, however our expectations were greatly exceeded due to the diversity of gardens on offer. Each garden is individual and offers something different; my partner and I are relatively young and are not garden enthusiasts, however we really enjoyed the diversity on offer and had an appreciation for the work involved in bringing each garden to life, each with its own theme.

The gardens themselves are truly beautiful, the sculptures are wonderful, some need your imagination. The descriptions for a number of the sculptures within the guide are rather comical with a no nonsense approach such as "bird", "untitled" and "abstract"....but using the guide to find the various sculptures meant we were able to explore the grounds fully and it was quite fun. Some areas did need a little TLC, as overgrown areas obscured some sculptures, two we had a hard time finding; but perhaps this was intentional so to make you really search for them.

Personally I feel children will enjoy an afternoon here, they'll definitely enjoy some of the large open spaces and will find the exploration aspect entertaining. Just be aware some areas contain ponds/water features and due to the fact some gardens require some finding it could be easy to lose sight of them, so keep them close between gardens.

Open on Sunday and Wednesday afternoons from 2pm – 5pm, last entry 4pm.
Give yourself a couple of hours to have a good look around.

Tickets are £5 per person and £1 for the guide (do buy the guide as it's extremely useful and informative).

There is an on site cafe and gift shop.
Parking is very accessible as the carpark is ample, just be careful on the narrow road leading there and keep the speed below 20mph as it's very tight and some bends are obscured...it's one way in and out so there will be two way traffic.

I highly recommend giving The Gibberd Gardens a visit.

A most enjoyable visit. The lovely volunteers on duty were very welcoming and informative, you really couldn't ask for more. The gardens are amazing - a surprise around every corner. There is something for every taste in gardens, from very formal areas to a woodland walk beside the brook. The range of sculptures is extraordinarily broad and the placing within the different garden areas gives each its own unique backdrop. Highly recommended!

Lovely gardens, mostly trees and shrubs with lots of interesting sculptures and garden art. The house is small but interesting with lots to see. Our guides were very knowledgeable about the history and enthusiastic. Enjoyed tea/coffee with scone, jam and cream followed by cake before having a talk about Frederick Gibberd and the garden. A very good place to visit.

A wonderful site with a really interesting history and beautiful grounds.
Plenty of parking, a cafe and bathroom facilities, with site maps/guides available. The sculpture trail is fascinating and we spent a good few hours exploring the grounds, which are extensive! The residence was closed but visible from the exterior.

A lovely visit with the Harlow Hedgehogs social group to see the autumn colours. Dog friendly and some nice gardens and cafe. Very friendly staff and volunteers. Entry feels a bit pricey at £5 per person when Hatfield Forest is £5 per car.

A hidden gem. Have lived near here for 20 years, drove past it's brown sign many a time but with staycations becoming the norm this year decided to investigate. Lovely garden, lots to look at and investigate. Tea rooms, although didn't use it as gardens were closing. Limited opening times, Wednesday and Sunday, 2-5. £6 for adults.

Beautifully set out gardens well worth a visit. It is managed by a large group of volunteers who run the gardens under a local Trust and it only opens on certain days so best to check before you travel.

Allow 3 hours including time to stop at their cafe for a relaxed time and to see or spot all of their sculptures, some are tucked away in the borders.

We visited on a bank holiday weekend when they also had a music concert on the lawn presented by a local woodwind orchestra which was a great bonus. Entry is £5 or less - see their website.

(Lots of gentle slopes so someone in a wheelchair would require assistance to see everything). Plenty of free parking.

Delightful- a hidden gem. Could spend hours exploring its forest paths. Strategically placed sculptures are a joy to discover.
The Friends and volunteers are warm & welcoming.We were also entertained by the Stort Woodwind players with medley of familiar tunes today.