The Plantation Garden

What it’s like

A quietly odd Victorian garden of terraces, flint walls and hidden corners, tucked behind a Norwich hotel.

This isn't a manicured show garden, it's a Victorian folly of a place built into an old chalk quarry, with flint and brick walls, a mock-Gothic fountain and an Italian terrace to clamber up towards. Kids can potter around the lower lawn and palm terrace without much fuss, and there's enough odd detail in the walls and follies to keep them looking rather than racing about. It won't hold a toddler's attention for hours, but for a curious seven or eight-year-old who likes finding things, it's a good hour or so.

Admission is by donation, £2 for adults and free for accompanied under-16s, which makes it an easy one to add onto a wider Norwich day without worrying about the cost. You're welcome to bring a packed lunch and eat it in the garden, and there's a café next door at St John's Cathedral for a hot drink afterwards if you don't fancy a flask. Opening hours stretch later in summer, 9am to 6pm from April to September, and shrink back to 9am to 4pm over winter.

The catch is the terrain. The main garden, lower lawn and palm terrace are fully accessible, but the Italian Terrace and the woodland paths up top have steep steps and slopes that won't work for a wheelchair or a buggy you don't want to haul up steps. The accessible toilet is only open during events, so plan around that if you need it. There's no parking on site either, so you're looking at paid parking next door or the city car parks a short walk away, though Earlham Road goes free on Sundays and after 6.30pm.

If you fancy more than a wander, groups can book a guided tour for £3 a head including admission, minimum £35, and the last tour of the day starts at 2.30pm in winter or 4.30pm in summer.

Facilities

Need to know

Best for

5 to 12, curious kids who like exploring odd corners

Parking

No parking on site. Paid parking at adjacent hotel via RingGo

Wheelchairs

Main garden areas fully accessible

• The accessible toilet only opens when events are on, otherwise the nearest one is next door at St John's Cathedral.
• Steep steps and slopes limit the Italian Terrace and woodland paths for buggies and wheelchairs.
• There's no on-site parking, so factor in a short walk or the RingGo charge next door.
• Sundays and evenings after 6.30pm bring free street parking nearby.

Plan your visit

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