Ventnor Botanic Gardens
Penned on the 5th June 2014
Ventnor Botanic Gardens are located in the unique microclimate of The Undercliff, and boasts a subtropical and exotic plant collection unrivalled elsewhere in the UK. Plants which would normally be found in protected glasshouses thrive and naturalise in geographical plantings based on the Mediterranean zones of the world.
The Garden was originally opened in 1869 as a national hospital for diseases of the chest and designed to take advantage of the clean, warm sea air. Following the closure of the hospital in 1964, the area was transformed into the Botanic Gardens.
As part of an extensive refurbishment and redevelopment of the gardens, there is also a café and restaurant within the grounds, offering cuisine created using fresh ingredients straight out of the garden.
The gardens also have an extensive events calendar and hosts regular events such as Shakespeare theatre productions, jazz evenings, art exhibitions and lectures.
Wight locations have a lovely collection of self catering cottages in the Ventnor area.