Wakehurst Place

England, United Kingdom

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Wakehurst Place, now known simply as Wakehurst, is a 16th‑century country estate in West Sussex, England, set in the High Weald landscape near Haywards Heath and Ardingly.

It consists of an Elizabethan mansion, formal gardens, temperate woodlands, wetlands, and conservation areas spread over about 500 acres, making it the largest property in the National Trust’s care.

The site is leased to and managed by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, serving as Kew’s “wild botanic garden” and housing the Millennium Seed Bank, one of the largest plant‑conservation seed repositories in the world.

Visitors can explore ornamental gardens, native meadows, rare‑tree plantings, and seasonal displays, while also learning about global plant conservation through the Seed Bank trail and other educational features, all within a beautiful, partly woodland‑covered Sussex landscape.