Colonial Restaurant

Very much enjoyed Abbotsbury Subtropical Gradens. It is absolutely beautiful to walk through the huge variety of plants and trees, including species from all over the world. The sights and smells are wonderful. There are also some lovely childrens fantasy themed sculptures to enjoy, several water features and some ponds with fish. There is a fantastic view of the local scenery from a viewing point at the top of a hill on site. There is a decent section that is wheelchair accessible too. It can be good for kids if they are outdoor types and appreciate nature, not for all kids, though if this isn't their area of interest, and no play area as such.

Lovely gardens. Peaceful to walk around. If you want some exercise, find the secret walk to take in a fabulous view. It was very hot on the day I visited. The member of staff, where I paid the entrance, was not very welcoming, but this could have been heat related. The cafe does nice food, but very long queues, and it was very hot. Many of the people queuing to buy were pensioners (being not far from that myself) and I did worry about them queuing/standing in the heat for so long - over 20 minutes. Maybe more staff would have helped? Go to the loo before you enter the gardens, as there is nowhere else to go once you're in.

Can't believe in all our years of living in Dorset, we only visited for first time today. Absolutely joyous, so many paths, benches and beautiful different zones. Not forgetting the rope bridge.!Walking up the slight incline to viewpoint was breathtaking. A few paths could be a liitle difficult if you have mobility issues, although there are designated paths for people who prefer flat walks. Lovely cafe, shop and very friendly staff. Well Worth £12.50 entrance.

Spent a wonderful three and a half hours exploring these gardens! They are filled with exotic and unusual plants from all over the world. Gravel paths wind their way among giant tree ferns, colourful flowers, jungle glades, lily ponds and, when we visited, a profusion of hydrangeas. At the entrance we were each handed a map to help us find our way round, and there are also larger maps around the gardens, but I still got lost! There were little info boards describing the birds and other wildlife we might spot as we wandered around. There are well marked, flat and easy routes accessible for wheelchairs and pushchairs, and lots of benches. Dogs are welcome on a lead. Not to be missed is the Burma Rope Bridge. It's one way only so there's no turning back, it sways a lot, and you need to be wearing sensible shoes to get across it, but it's an experience I would not have missed! Kids will love it. It was also worth the steep climb up a grassy hill to a spectacular viewpoint from where we looked out over Chesil Beach, World War II defences and Jurassic cliffs. The licensed café at the entrance serves soup, light snacks, cakes and drinks (card payment only). Had a lovely fresh scone with jam and clotted cream on the veranda. There are toilets, a nice gift shop and plants for sale. Parking is free. These are really beautiful gardens that I would recommend to people of all ages.

These gardens are absolutely stunning! If you are in the area they're a must see! The hill was a struggle for me but the view is worth the effort! We stopped for a light snack and drink, which we would have preferred proper cutlery and crockery at the prices, but that was our only gripe. Highly recommend ☺️

It's like walking through a shady tropical jungle. At the end you've got an amazing look out point to the sea. The only tricky bit is that toilets are available only at the entrance. I find it a bit challenging finding the exit. But overall, it's an amazing shady garden, a very unique experience. It takes about 1.5 hours to look around I'm the garden. Dogs are allowed on lead. The cafe at the entrance offers loads of snacks, cakes with gluten-free options.

Lovely tropical gardens. Huge area to explore including a rope bridge across a pond. Plenty of photo opportunities. Map shows you all the areas you're in and to look our for. Customer service was lovely from all areas, and the restaurant did some nice food. I never had a chicken and onion sandwich, but I loved it!! Plenty of free parking. Entrance fee was £12.50pp.

We have spent a lovely morning looking around the gardens. There are some unusual and beautiful plants here and in such a large space, even when busy, you wouldn't know. There are accessible paths clearly marked suitable for wheelchairs and also lots more areas to investigate making it suitable to keep the younger explorers entertained. Lots of plants are named, but I would have liked to have been able to identify more. We did see a gardener who was happy to answer any questions though. I wouldn't think of myself as a visitor to gardens however I really enjoyed the 3 hours i spent looking around. Cafe looked busy and I bought a few plants from the garden centre, shame they didn't sell more or the plants you see in the gardens. I would visit again if in the area.