Tresco Abbey Gardens: Opening Times, Prices and Visitor Guide 2026
Plan a day at Tresco Abbey Gardens, the subtropical garden on the Isles of Scilly. Find 2026 opening times, ticket prices, boat and helicopter routes, the Valhalla figureheads and local tips for your visit.
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Tresco Abbey Gardens is the most famous garden on the Isles of Scilly. It sits on Tresco, just 28 miles off the Cornish coast, according to Tresco Island. Palms, proteas and flame trees grow outdoors here. Visit Isles of Scilly says most would not survive outside anywhere else in the UK.
This guide covers what you need to plan a visit in 2026. You will find opening times, ticket prices and how to get there by boat or helicopter. We also cover what to see, the best time to go and a few tips from people who know the islands well.
Key Takeaways
- The garden opens 10am to 4pm daily from 14 March to 31 October 2026. Last entry is 3.15pm.
- Adult entry is £18. Under 16s pay £5 and under 5s go free. There is no need to book.
- Guests staying on Tresco get free entry for their whole stay.
- Daily boats run from St Mary's and Bryher. There is no public transport on Tresco, so be ready to walk.
- Allow at least two hours, and save time for the Valhalla figurehead collection.
What Is Tresco Abbey Gardens?
Tresco Abbey Gardens is a subtropical garden built around the ruins of a Benedictine priory. Augustus Smith started it in the 1830s. Visit Isles of Scilly puts the collection at around 20,000 plants from more than 80 countries. That includes over 2,000 exotic species from Brazil to New Zealand.
Tresco Island calls it "a perennial Kew without the glass." Scilly's mild climate does the work that greenhouses do on the mainland. Tall shelter belts of Monterey pine and Monterey cypress block the Atlantic wind. Together they let tender plants grow outside all year round.
Paths run in a simple grid up a south facing hill. As Strolling Guides points out, you come here for the plants rather than grand design.
Tresco Abbey Gardens Opening Times and Prices 2026
Opening Hours
For 2026 the garden opens daily from 14 March to 31 October, from 10am to 4pm. Last entry is 3.15pm. The Garden Café and Shop keep the same hours, according to Tresco Island. The season started a little later than usual after Storm Goretti hit the island in January.
Visiting in Winter
Outside the main season, check before you travel. Visit Isles of Scilly says the garden has stayed open through winter in past years, with the café and shop closed from early November until March. Call the garden on 01720 424108 to confirm before you book a boat.
RecommendedSeasons & nightDark Skies on the Isles of Scilly: 9 Things to Do After Dark4 min read · Off-islandsRead the guide →Ticket Prices
- Adults: £18
- Concessions: £17
- Under 16s: £5
- Under 5s: Free
- Family ticket (2 adults and up to 3 children): £40
- Weekly ticket: £25
You cannot book ahead. Day visitors simply pay at the garden gate, says Tresco Island. If you are staying on Tresco, entry is free for your whole stay. The weekly ticket is good value if you are on a nearby island and plan to come back more than once.
How to Get to Tresco Abbey Gardens
From St Mary's and the Other Islands
Boats run every day from St Mary's and Bryher. St Martin's and St Agnes usually have a couple of crossings a week, according to Tresco Island. Times change with the tides and weather. Check the boat board on your quay, or see live times on our Scilly Live board.
Listen for your return time on the way over. Your boat home may leave from a different quay. You will land at Carn Near or New Grimsby. From Carn Near it is about a 10 minute walk to the garden. From New Grimsby it is a longer but scenic 30 minute stroll.
There is no public transport on Tresco. Wear comfortable shoes.
From the Mainland
Penzance Helicopters flies all year from Penzance to Tresco Heliport. The flight takes about 15 minutes, and the heliport is a couple of minutes from the garden gate. You can also fly with Skybus or sail on the Scillonian III to St Mary's. From there, the boat to Tresco takes around 20 minutes.
What to See at Tresco Abbey Gardens
Plants From Around the World
Look out for king protea, lobster claw and the tall blue spires of echium. Bright strelitzia, furcraea and drifts of pink pelargonium line the paths. Flame trees add a splash of red. Plants come from Chile, Mexico, California, South Africa, Australia and the Canary Islands, notes Tresco Island.
Red Squirrels and Golden Pheasants
The garden is not just about plants. Red squirrels and golden pheasants roam freely among the beds. Keep an eye on the sunny courtyard at the Garden Café, where squirrel families often pass by, says Visit Isles of Scilly. Quiet corners also hold sculptures and the old priory arches.
RecommendedHistoryThe Story of the Ruins in Tresco Abbey Garden11 min read · TrescoRead the story →The Valhalla Figurehead Collection
Inside the garden is Valhalla, a collection of about 30 ship figureheads, nameboards and carvings. Most came from merchant ships wrecked around Scilly in the 1800s. Augustus Smith began collecting them around 1840. The collection joined the National Maritime Museum in 1979, and its conservators still care for it, according to Tresco Island.
You can explore Valhalla as part of your garden visit.
When Is the Best Time to Visit?
Every season brings something different. Spring flowers open weeks ahead of the mainland. Summer brings the big, bold colours. In autumn the garden turns gold, amber and red. Even in midwinter, around 300 species are still in bloom, says Tresco Island. There is no bad time to go.
The garden can get busy when cruise ships or group tours arrive. If you want a quieter visit, contact the garden before you go and the team will suggest a good time. Setting off early also helps, especially if you are on a day trip from the mainland or another island.
A Short History of Tresco Abbey Garden
Augustus Smith and the Priory
In 1834 Augustus Smith moved from Hertfordshire to Scilly as Lord Proprietor of the islands. He built his house, Tresco Abbey, above the ruins of St Nicholas Priory. He began the garden almost at once. Walls came first, then terraces cut into the granite hillside, as told by Tresco Island.
Smith worked with Sir William Hooker of Kew Gardens to build the collection, notes Strolling Guides. Later generations of the Dorrien Smith family kept adding plants. Major Arthur Dorrien Smith collected in New Zealand and the Chatham Islands. Commander Tom Dorrien Smith, who took over in 1955, brought in many of the protea family.
Storms and Recovery
The garden has been hit hard more than once. The great storm of 1987 and hurricane force winds in 1990 destroyed most of the shelter belts. Robert and Lucy Dorrien Smith led the rebuild. Today the shelter belts are back and the collection keeps on growing, says Tresco Island.
On 8 January 2026, Storm Goretti made its first British landfall on Scilly. Around 500 trees fell across Tresco. The shelter belt along Abbey Drive took the worst of it and protected the garden, says Tresco Island. By July, head gardener Andrew Lawson reported little sign of damage.
RecommendedFood & drinkIsles of Scilly Food and Drink: Where to Eat, Drink and Shop Local5 min read · All islandsRead the guide →You can help with replanting through the Tresco Woodland Restoration Appeal.
Top Tips for Your Visit
- Allow at least two hours to see the garden at a relaxed pace.
- Check your return boat time and quay before you leave the boat.
- Bring a camera. Photos are welcome, but drones are not allowed on Tresco.
- Stop at the Garden Café & Shop for coffee, cake or a cream tea.
- For lunch further afield, The New Inn and The Ruin Beach Café are about 30 minutes' walk away.
- Pick up picnic food at Tresco Stores.
All of these tips come from the garden's own visitor advice. The café is a handy pit stop, but it gets busy around lunchtime in summer. If you have time, walking to the beach cafés is a lovely way to see more of the island after the garden.
Accessibility
A wheelchair friendly shingle path runs through much of the garden. Some parts are steep or rough, but most main routes work with help. A small number of mobility scooters are available on a first come, first served basis, says Tresco Island. Remember to plan for the walk from the quay.
If you have specific needs, call the garden on 01720 424108 before you travel.
Tresco Abbey Gardens FAQs
Do I need to book tickets for Tresco Abbey Gardens?
No. Advance booking is not available. Day visitors pay at the garden gate.
How long should I spend at Tresco Abbey Gardens?
Allow at least two hours. Add extra time for lunch, the Valhalla collection and the walk to and from the quay.
Is Tresco Abbey Gardens open in winter?
The 2026 season runs from 14 March to 31 October. In past years the garden has stayed open in winter with the café closed. Call 01720 424108 to check.
Can I visit Tresco Abbey Gardens on a day trip?
Yes. Take a boat from St Mary's or Bryher, or fly direct from Penzance to Tresco Heliport by helicopter.
Who owns Tresco island?
Tresco is part of the Duchy of Cornwall. Augustus Smith took the lease in 1834, and his descendants, the Dorrien Smith family, still look after the island and its garden.
