Larmer Tree Gardens
Larmer Tree Gardens
4.5
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
4.5
112 reviews
Excellent
65
Very good
26
Average
12
Poor
6
Terrible
3
Maggs A
London, UK4 contributions
Sept 2014 • Couples
Our daughter recently got married at Larmer Tree Gardens in a 'Secret Garden' ceremony, She always wanted an outdoor natural wedding and happily, after some 40+ viewings she and her fiancé found Larmer Tree. It is the most stunningly beautiful venue with peacocks wandering through the gardens. The wedding ceremony was performed in The Temple building, which, if you look is just a small round room with doors opening back and front. The steps to the rear lead down to a beautiful natural pond. There are gorgeous walks, manicured lawns, Fairy Doors to be found at the base of some trees. We will certainly go back to visit just to enjoy the beauty and splendour of the whole place. There is a lovely little coffee shop serving lovely teas, coffee and cake etc. the toilets are spotless and the staff obviously enjoy their work as they are all very pleasant. The gardeners do a marvellous job looking after the place and come rain or shine it is lovely ... We were lucky in as much on two occasions we visited the weather has been gorgeous. Really worth a visit and certainly worth looking at for a wedding venue, big or small. The wedding organiser, Gail and her team are fabulous and certainly know their jobs...fabulous all round!
Written 20 September 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Colleen S
Paris, France156 contributions
May 2014 • Friends
Sounds rude but really I say this lovingly. Beautiful gardens and grounds, nice little cafe run by posh English people and peacocks not afraid to jump in your lap for a bit of crumpet. Peacocks are clever and not shy at all, gives the place a very Whimsical feel. If you are a not English tourist (especially if you are American) you will love the Englishness of this place and if you are well off you will love the lack of non posh (sorry I infiltrated) visiting this place.
Written 6 August 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
travelling_blonde01
Bath, UK35 contributions
Apr 2014 • Family
Such a beautiful hidden gem. Gorgeous, strutting peacocks everywhere, temples and little coves. We attended a wonderful wedding here and it couldn't have been a more beautiful setting.
Written 19 April 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
clothahump
Dorset4 contributions
May 2014 • Business
Must be one of the most boring gardens I have ever visited, there simply is no colour anywhere, it is just various shades of Green.
I had the misfortune of bumping into an extremely agressive podgy little man who was shouting loudly at my wife that dogs were not allowed in the gardens, strange as nobody else seemed worried about our ancient collie.
Do yourself a favour and drive up to Stourhead.
I had the misfortune of bumping into an extremely agressive podgy little man who was shouting loudly at my wife that dogs were not allowed in the gardens, strange as nobody else seemed worried about our ancient collie.
Do yourself a favour and drive up to Stourhead.
Written 26 May 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
rubyred456
New Forest National Park Hampshire, UK63 contributions
Mar 2014
Attended what we thought was a music festival. Must have taken a wrong turning as we clearly ended up at a craft fair. All there was were masses of overpriced stalls. Our bags were ransacked at the gate and we were told we could not take our chairs in. Two " band's" on all day ( one was just a guy singing dreary songs) Tom Jones was good....so we hear...couldn't actually see him it was so crowded. At £ 67 a ticket, an absolute rip- off. The organisers must be laughing all the way to the bank. They took our money but they did not deliver the goods. Terrible day out.
Written 17 July 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jacqueline G
Salisbury, UK72 contributions
Oct 2014 • Friends
Not very big gardens. Not as ornamental as we expected. Cafe on site but quite limited and not cheap.
Written 20 October 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Karen G
52 contributions
May 2015 • Couples
We live close to the Larmer Tree and have visited on many occasions. Undeniably the grounds are beautiful.
Today we chose to visit the Harmony Festival. What a rip off, £5 each to get in, we felt we'd wasted our money.
Overpriced stalls selling jewellery, paintings, wood crafts and a handful of food stalls doing the rounds visiting artisan events selling expensive burgers/ pizzas
For some reason every summer the number of venues in Dorset offering 'artisan goods' increases. What are artisan goods, the term seems to mean home made and over priced trendy stuff nobody needs!
Check what you're going to get before you hand over your money .
We stayed half an hour. I'd advise you to save your money and visit better quality events- try the steam fair and the wood fair.
Far more professional and much better value for money.
Today we chose to visit the Harmony Festival. What a rip off, £5 each to get in, we felt we'd wasted our money.
Overpriced stalls selling jewellery, paintings, wood crafts and a handful of food stalls doing the rounds visiting artisan events selling expensive burgers/ pizzas
For some reason every summer the number of venues in Dorset offering 'artisan goods' increases. What are artisan goods, the term seems to mean home made and over priced trendy stuff nobody needs!
Check what you're going to get before you hand over your money .
We stayed half an hour. I'd advise you to save your money and visit better quality events- try the steam fair and the wood fair.
Far more professional and much better value for money.
Written 4 May 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
BOBOK777
West Sussex, UK1,152 contributions
Apr 2013 • Couples
We did not get off to a good start when our £8 was handed over to a young man without any tickets being issued (leaving aside we subsequently realised the concessionary rate for a pensioner and a disabled person in an electric buggy had not been applied). I assume the money was recorded somewhere but we would have been happier to have been given tickets.
Catering was extremely limited and the seating consisted of a few tables and chairs outside the entrance hut.
Having first seen the web site we did not feel the "gardens" lived up to our expectations or description "the jewell of the Cranborne Chase" was deserved.I'm not sure "gardens" is an accurate description of what we expected - "grounds" would,I believe, be more accurate.Plenty of grass,interspersed with some quirky 'old colonial' type buildings.
I have no doubt the "gardens" would make a superb wedding venue (as many of the reviews confirm) but in my view it was too small and with little to interest most 'garden! visitors.
Catering was extremely limited and the seating consisted of a few tables and chairs outside the entrance hut.
Having first seen the web site we did not feel the "gardens" lived up to our expectations or description "the jewell of the Cranborne Chase" was deserved.I'm not sure "gardens" is an accurate description of what we expected - "grounds" would,I believe, be more accurate.Plenty of grass,interspersed with some quirky 'old colonial' type buildings.
I have no doubt the "gardens" would make a superb wedding venue (as many of the reviews confirm) but in my view it was too small and with little to interest most 'garden! visitors.
Written 26 April 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jools
Wodonga, Australia94 contributions
Jul 2019 • Friends
This large estate style garden provided a restful oasis on a day when we were rambling through the Dorset countryside. There are several garden ‘ rooms’ that invite exploration. The expansive open lawn area is perfect for lounging - borrow one of the deck chairs kept in a nearby shed. We were fortunate to visit on a Sunday when a the Blackmore Vale Brass Band were playing in the rather unusual sound shell, called a Singing Theatre. If your itinerary is flexible, try to coincide your visit with one of the free concerts. The cafe does a very good Dorset Cream Tea.
Written 3 July 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Ali B
Southampton, UK174 contributions
Jul 2018 • Family
We went to show other family and friends this delightful garden as have been 3 times before.
Entrance is very cheap as adults are £4 and kids £2.50. Gardeners world pass means free adult so absolute bargain!
Don't expect to be walking around extensive gardens with heavily planted borders; this garden is quirky with fascinating buildings and a couple of sunken ponds and a wooded walk (under the rhododendron canopy great fun).
My only negative was an unfortunate fall down the steps to the pond as there is no handrail. Not their fault and looking at friends map there was a route without steps that I will take if visiting again soon.
I will bring a picnic and lay back in one of their free deckchairs and soak up the peace and quiet (when peacocks are quiet). Would like to visit for festival maybe as site is so unique!
Thank you for your wonderful hospitality at the cafe, great customer focus.
The little cafe serves lovely food but the portions are not huge so don't expect to be stuffed on a ploughman's etc.
The peacocks wondering the grounds (several and with babies) are extremely tame. They come very close and the males were in the mood for display!!
The lovely staff in cafe gave my daughter a peacock belly feather; she stood staring at a male peacock for ages.
The only downside to my
Entrance is very cheap as adults are £4 and kids £2.50. Gardeners world pass means free adult so absolute bargain!
Don't expect to be walking around extensive gardens with heavily planted borders; this garden is quirky with fascinating buildings and a couple of sunken ponds and a wooded walk (under the rhododendron canopy great fun).
My only negative was an unfortunate fall down the steps to the pond as there is no handrail. Not their fault and looking at friends map there was a route without steps that I will take if visiting again soon.
I will bring a picnic and lay back in one of their free deckchairs and soak up the peace and quiet (when peacocks are quiet). Would like to visit for festival maybe as site is so unique!
Thank you for your wonderful hospitality at the cafe, great customer focus.
The little cafe serves lovely food but the portions are not huge so don't expect to be stuffed on a ploughman's etc.
The peacocks wondering the grounds (several and with babies) are extremely tame. They come very close and the males were in the mood for display!!
The lovely staff in cafe gave my daughter a peacock belly feather; she stood staring at a male peacock for ages.
The only downside to my
Written 2 July 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
no they aren't allowed.... tried myself
Written 16 August 2017
It feels like it's in the middle of nowhere.
When we went to the festival, we were sent directions for the last leg of the journey; down country lanes. That might have been to lessen the impact on people who live in the area.
We went to a pub called The Museum just a few miles away. That might be a starting point for you to locate it.
Written 25 January 2017
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