I went to Wentworth (Wentworth Woodhouse (Wentworth))

Member Name: rinnie

Product:	Wentworth Woodhouse (Wentworth)
Date:	19/11/08 (140 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Lovely place to visti, lots to see and buy

Disadvantages: Not all works completed on my last visit

Since MickSheff has done such an amazing job of the house review and surrounding, I'll focus on the garden centre which is the best part of my visit.

I went to Wentworth garden centre with friends who live nearby. We went one Sunday afternoon in autumn. As we both have small children this was a good time of year as the centre can get quite busy in the summer.

As you arrive in their large car park you can't see much of what is to come. As you enter the centre you come into their outdoor plant area, this is a gardeners paradise with many variety's of plants and flowers, also other outdoor equipment like compost, pots, tubs and tools. Other out door equipment, furniture and sheds can be found further into the centre.

There are quite a few sections and shops to be seen, the main part is obviously the garden centre it's self, apart from the outdoor section there is an indoor centre too with exotic and house plants, pots, water features and more furniture. Another section is a row of cute little craft shops, all unusual and typically expensive. These include a candle shop, an artist studio, a jewellery shop and one with gifts and mystical ornaments, very much a girls shop.


The largest shop has a great variety of items from gift's to garden aids to artificial flowers. They sell books, toy's, children's outdoor clothes and accessories, hand made ornaments and gift's, and other aids for many kinds of hobbies. Aside from this there is also a tea rooms, a very traditional shop with a variety of tea and coffee and lots of delicious fresh homemade pastries and cakes. A treat for anyone. The last shop was a pet shop, mostly filled with the usual kind of thing but also some living animals for sale, like budgie's and fish.

The main attractions for my family and our friends was the beautiful historical gardens that you can take a leisurely walk around, the gardens date back from the 18th century and were created by the Earl of Wentworth. They extend I am told into a walk that leads to Wentworth village, also a popular and pretty village.

My son and his little friend greatly enjoyed the newly updated playground and spent a happy hour being pushed on the swings and exploring the climbing frame, there where two, one for younger children and one for around 5 years up.

The best part for myself and the rest of our group was the animal farm. You do have to pay for this section but its not much (£1.90 for adults and £1.50 for children and OAP's) and well worth it. When we went the whole garden centre was having work done to improve and modernise, the need for this showed the most in the animal farm but my friend has been back and says the improvements are very good and they have also extended the section too. When I went they had the usual farm animals like sheep, pigs, goats, a horse and ducks, also chipmunks, owls and with other unusual birds. You can buy bags of food and our children loved feeding some of the animals. Dotted around are plaques with interesting and educational information about the animals on too. Then they have bits with toys and puzzles for the children like a variety of tractors and diggers for children to play on or little wooden puzzles to put together.

As you can probably tell I am definately a fan and hope to return soon to see the finished works that I saw half done last time. I would definately recommend it but I would make a full day and take a picnic, and if there is the chance of rain or has been beforehand then make sure you have wellies or other suitable footwear.

Summary: A gorgeous place to go in summer especially