Ness Botanic Gardens

Ness Botanic Gardens Part of the University of Liverpool. We are a botanic garden open all year round. 64 acres of family friendly beautiful gardens overlooking the River Dee.
(298)

As well as fantastic views, we have a range of different features from chickens, 120 metres of Herbaceous Border, a 110 year old Rock garden to the prettiest vegetable garden in the North west - the Potager. We also have fabulous collections of plants from Rowans, Birches and Magnolias through to Snowdrops and Rhododendrons. Our Garden ,Cafe, Gift Shop & plant sales are all open seven days a week, apart from the Christmas Holidays, and we have a year round course & event programme.

🏴‍☠️ Treasure Island is coming to Ness this summer! 🏝️Long John Silver and his crew of salty sea dogs are weighing ancho...
14/06/2026

🏴‍☠️ Treasure Island is coming to Ness this summer! 🏝️

Long John Silver and his crew of salty sea dogs are weighing anchor and heading your way with the classic pirate adventure Treasure Island!

Presented by Quantum Theatre, this swashbuckling, action-packed production is bursting with high drama, thrilling sword fights, rousing sea shanties, and of course the infamous Long John Silver and his parrot, Cap’n Flint. A brand-new adaptation of the beloved family favourite by Robert Louis Stevenson, it’s an outdoor theatre experience not to be missed!

✨ Pack a picnic
✨ Bring a blanket or low-back seating
✨ Gather the family for an evening of fun, excitement and adventure

📅 Date: Sunday 26th July
⏰ Gates Open: 5.00pm
🎭 Performance Starts: 6.00pm

💰 Ticket Prices:
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 2 Adults & 2 Children – £22.50
👨‍👩‍👧 2 Adults & 1 Child – £15.50
🧒 Child – £5.50
🧑 Adult – £8.50

🌦️ The show will go ahead whatever the weather (unless extreme conditions make it unsafe), so please dress appropriately for an outdoor event.

Set sail for a fantastic summer evening in Ness – we’ll see you there! ⚓

https://payments.liv.ac.uk/short-courses/short-courses-at-liverpool/ness-botanic-gardens/outdoor-theatre-treasure-island

Come and join us for a summer adventure!If you know any adventurous 7–10-year-olds who thrive in the great outdoors, thi...
14/06/2026

Come and join us for a summer adventure!
If you know any adventurous 7–10-year-olds who thrive in the great outdoors, this is an experience not to be missed!
Spots fill up fast, so booking in advance is essential.
Our sessions run from 9am to 3.30pm, providing a full day of exploration and fun.
Simply drop off your young explorer with us, equipped with a snack, a drink, and weather-appropriate attire. We will provide them with a picnic lunch, so that’s one less thing for you to think about!

Dates & Times:
Tuesday 4th August 2026, 9 am - 3:30 pm
Wednesday 5th August 2026, 9 am - 3:30 pm
Thursday 6th August 2026, 9 am - 3:30 pm
Monday 24th August 2026, 9 am - 3:30 pm
Tuesday 25th August 2026, 9 am - 3:30 pm

Cost:
£35 per child per session (£30 for members).
You may be eligible for a free place. We have teamed up with Edsential to offer free places on each course through their Holiday and Food Club (HAF).

For more details visit our website- https://www.liverpool.ac.uk/ness-gardens/whats-on/ness-explorers/ .en.1464573

Edsential Cheshire West and Chester Council Department for Education

Nature

🌸 Create Something Beautiful This Season at Ness Botanic Gardens 🌸Discover the art of floral design with award-winning f...
13/06/2026

🌸 Create Something Beautiful This Season at Ness Botanic Gardens 🌸

Discover the art of floral design with award-winning florist Dawn Weaver at the stunning Ness Botanic Gardens.

Whether you're a complete beginner or simply love working with flowers, these hands-on workshops will guide you through creating beautiful seasonal arrangements using British-grown flowers and foliage. All materials are provided, and you'll leave with your own unique floral creation to enjoy at home.

🌿 Upcoming Workshops
✨ Summer Solstice Hand-Tied Design – 20 June
✨ Table Centre Designs – 19 September
✨ Autumnal Wreaths – 24 October

🕙 10:00am–12:30pm
🎟️ £45 members | £50 non-members
🌼 Includes complimentary garden admission on the day.

Perfect for anyone aged 18+ with an interest in flowers, design, and creativity—no experience required.

Book your place today:
Ness Gardens> What's on> classes and workshops> Floral design
https://www.liverpool.ac.uk/ness-gardens/whats-on/classes-and-workshops/floristry-and-floral-design/

🌸🌿💐

🌿 New Nordic Walking Course Dates Now Available! 🚶‍♀️🚶‍♂️Enjoy the benefits of Nordic Walking while exploring the beauti...
12/06/2026

🌿 New Nordic Walking Course Dates Now Available! 🚶‍♀️🚶‍♂️

Enjoy the benefits of Nordic Walking while exploring the beautiful surroundings of Ness Botanic Gardens. Whether you're taking your first steps or looking to develop your technique, we have a course for you.

New 4-week courses:

📅 Tuesdays (23 June – 14 July)
• Beginner – 10:30am
• Intermediate – 1:00pm

📅 Wednesdays (24 June – 15 July)
• Advanced – 10:30am
• Improvers – 1:00pm

Nordic Walking is a great way to improve fitness, strength, posture, and wellbeing while enjoying time outdoors in a supportive group setting.

Places are limited – book your place today:

https://www.liverpool.ac.uk/ness-gardens/whats-on/classes-and-workshops/nordic-walking/

The Garden Team have been planting up the new Himalayan Stream bed, which is under the large cedar in the Rock Garden. T...
12/06/2026

The Garden Team have been planting up the new Himalayan Stream bed, which is under the large cedar in the Rock Garden. The bed features Himalayan favourites like blue poppies (Meconopsis spp.), irises and primulas, from countries such as China, Nepal, and Bhutan.

Here are some of the primulas currently doing their thing:

1) Primula vialii was introduced by Scottish plant hunter George Forrest (1873-1932) in NW Yunnan. It is a beautiful plant, with purple flower spikes that are tipped with red.

2) Named after our founder, AK Bulley (1861-1942), Primula bulleyana has large orange flowers arranged in tired whorls on strong flower stalks.

3) P. florindae was introduced by Frank Kingdon Ward while working for AK Bulley in Tibet. It is named for his wife, Florinda.

4) P. prolifera grows in the Eastern Himalayas and is very variable. Like most primulas, it enjoys moist conditions. So much so that its common name is "glory of the bog"!

5) Another Frank Kingdon Ward introduction, Primula alpicola is a lovely native of Bhutan and Tibet, with pendant, bell-shaped flowers on slender flower stems.

🌿✨ Have you entered for our Annual Show at Ness Gardens? ✨🌿We’re so excited to welcome you all on Sunday 16th August for...
11/06/2026

🌿✨ Have you entered for our Annual Show at Ness Gardens? ✨🌿

We’re so excited to welcome you all on Sunday 16th August for a day filled with creativity and community spirit in the stunning surroundings at Ness🌸

Whether you’re a grower, baker, crafter, or keen snapper – it’s time to start prepping your entries! With a full day of displays, friendly competition and fantastic prizes this is your chance to shine! Please register your entries in advance to help us plan the day- email [email protected]. Please provide your name and let us know the item(s) you're bringing.

📍 Ness Gardens
📅 16th August

All information , times, classes and how to enter can be found on our website. What's On>Annual Show

https://www.liverpool.ac.uk/ness-gardens/whats-on/annual-show/ .en.1509845

We can’t wait to see you there! 🌼

🌿 Save the Date! 🌿Wednesday 19 August 2026Celebrate Nature Day at Ness Gardens 🌼🌳We are so excited to be back for our 3r...
10/06/2026

🌿 Save the Date! 🌿
Wednesday 19 August 2026

Celebrate Nature Day at Ness Gardens 🌼🌳We are so excited to be back for our 3rd year of celebrating nature.

Bring the whole family and enjoy a fun-filled day surrounded by nature!

✨ What’s on:
• Family-friendly activities with local wildlife groups
• Bird ringing demonstration 🐦
• Poison plant activity 🌱
• Herbarium crafts 🎨

🕙 Time: 10:00 AM – 3:00 PM
🎟️ Garden admission applies

Come explore, learn, and connect with the natural world — we’d love to see you there! 🌍💚


Wirral Wildlife Chester Zoo RECORD - Local Environmental Records Centre Wirral Barn Owl Trust

🌿 Foraging Walk at Ness Gardens 🌿Join us on Saturday 13 June for a guided foraging walk with our expert forager, Sam — a...
07/06/2026

🌿 Foraging Walk at Ness Gardens 🌿
Join us on Saturday 13 June for a guided foraging walk with our expert forager, Sam — and discover the edible treasures hidden throughout the garden.

From 10.30am–1.30pm, you’ll explore seasonal plants, learn how to identify them safely, and even taste some of Sam’s delicious homemade samples along the way.

Members £35 • Non‑members £40

A perfect way to slow down, learn something new, and enjoy the flavours of nature.

To book visit our website- What's on> Classes and workshops > Foraging walks

🌿 Forest Bathing at Ness Gardens 🌿Join us for a relaxing forest bathing session at Ness Gardens — a gentle way to slow d...
05/06/2026

🌿 Forest Bathing at Ness Gardens 🌿
Join us for a relaxing forest bathing session at Ness Gardens — a gentle way to slow down, breathe deeply and reconnect with nature.

Upcoming dates:
Sunday 14 June — Floral Bloom
Sunday 19 July — Summer Symphony
Saturday 22 August — Late Summer Gold

Each session offers a unique seasonal experience designed to help you unwind and feel restored.

More details on our website: What’s On → Classes and Workshops → Forest Bathing

Hope to see you there 🌲✨

Have you seen (and smelt!) the Ness Holt azaleas currently in bloom on the main lawn? 🌸These deciduous Rhododendron hybr...
04/06/2026

Have you seen (and smelt!) the Ness Holt azaleas currently in bloom on the main lawn? 🌸

These deciduous Rhododendron hybrids were bred by Montague 'Denny' Pratt, a lecturer in Botany at what is now Liverpool John Moores University. Denny lived on the Wirral and named these horticulturally valuable azaleas after towns and villages in the borough.

The plants were bred, with the assistance of Ness Botanic Gardens, for colourful late-season flowers and absolutely fantastic scent. Our collection can be found on the main lawn, by the monkey puzzle tree - not to be missed!

1. Rhododendron 'Storeton'
2. R. 'Little Neston'
3. R. 'Puddington'
4. R. 'Parkgate'
5. R. 'Barnston'

Address

Ness Botanic Gardens, Neston Road
Chester
CH644AY

Opening Hours

Monday 10am - 5pm
Tuesday 10am - 5pm
Wednesday 10am - 5pm
Thursday 10am - 5pm
Friday 10am - 5pm
Saturday 10am - 4:30pm
Sunday 10am - 4:30pm

Telephone

01517956300

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Ness Botanic Gardens posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Business

Send a message to Ness Botanic Gardens:

Shortcuts

Share