We were driving through the area and saw the Hestercombe signs and thought it would be nice to have a stroll through the gardens for about an hour and a half.

We could not walk far as my father-in-law has mobility challenges with his walker as he gets tired fast. So really it would have been a short stroll, maybe a walk around the art gallery, a browse of the book & plant shop and a cup of tea.

We drove in and could not see any signs to an information desk or booth or welcome center so we drove down the driveway until we came a building where I went in to inquire on a short-period admission. Turns out this building was the Art Gallery.

Unfortunately we were told that this would not be possible and we would have to pay the full £10.50 per person admission fee.

I inquired if there was a reduced admission fee for disabled persons and the gentleman at the desk was not sure about this and directed us to inquire at the main office. He also mentioned that there were no elevators in the gallery so my father-in-law would only have been able to browse the lower level. I also wanted to know if we could visit the Garden Shop & Plant Centre and Book Shop without paying a fee and he also did not know.

As we left the driveway, we noticed the steep steps and rough garden paths and realized that it would have been very difficult to tackle with a walker.

We then decided that paying more than £40 for a short stroll was just bad value, especially as my in-laws would not have been able to have easy access of the gardens or see the gallery in its entirety. It does look beautiful and maybe one day we’ll return to enjoy a day out there.

My recommendation to Hestercombe's management is to ensure that staff in all departments are trained to provide basic information to customers as we were not impressed that simple questions about admission could not be answered. And also to consider a short-visit or half day admission fee.

Wandering around the gardens is a very pleasant way to spend a morning or afternoon. The garden centre, gift shop and cafe are very good and the shop has some interesting quirky products.

Now that the whole, both house and gardens, are under the control and management of the Trust, this has become an excellent venue for the mature visitor. The famous formal garden by Getrude Jekyl and Edward Lutyens is a delight, if smaller than some might expect, but is vividly contrasted by the amazing woodland, hill and lakes, informal gardens by the Bampfylde family extending for acres up the hill to the north beyond the house. A truly excellent venue, both for dining in the new restaurant, with a small but excellent menu of quality, but also for less formal eating in the courtyard cafe. There is great scope for wonderful walks through the woodland setting. Weddings, generally conducted in the orangery, with the spreading lawns beyond, have the benefit of a beautiful view over Taunton Vale. In addition there is the amazing hall for major events, public meetings and for hire. There is a small garden centre selling plants, a second hand book shop and and a nice gift shop. Entrance fees do seem a bit expensive. Apart from walking and the cafe eats, this is possibly not the ideal venue for groups of small children.

A walk around these most attractive gardens is made at your pace and can take between two to three hours. There is such a variety of shrubs, plants, trees and other items of interest. Towards the end of your journey there is a feast of formal gardens - just delightful. The small nursery (where plants may be purchased at reasonable prices) is worth a visit. At journeys end there is the restaurant where you can enjoy a variety of delicious snacks and drinks.

Amazing what can I say, absolutely stunning, lovely walks, amongst superb plantings , gardens fabulous, tea rooms served tasty food and were reasonably priced. We bought some lovely plants too.

Had a lovely walk with my partner and our dog. Then we had a nice cold drink and a huge piece of cake in the cafe. Lovely morning out.

Lots of nice walks around a very picturesque setting, plenty of information available comprising of Videos, old photos,and booklets etc.Good shops and food on site ranging from hot drinks and cakes to a full meal , not overly pricey unless you go to the column room restaurant where you can pay £9.50 pp for a cream tea, £18.50 for afternoon tea but probably worth it if you fancy a little decadence..Overall a very pleasant day out

The garden and the surrounding larger estate are fantastic. Had not been here for some time booked on the internet for a small discount. The staff were so friendly from the reception staff to the lady in the shop. And what lovely plants in the shop and very reasonably priced. Unfortunately the gallery in the house was not open so will be back to see this. Next time will have a meal in the house. The food was excellent in the lovely partly covered café Well done to everyone connected with Hestercombe

We enjoyed a train journey from North Hertfordshire to get here and we are glad we did. It was a most beautiful, sunny, warm day and the garden looked spectacular. You can see both the hands of Gertrude Jeykll and Edward Lutyens in both the hard landscaping and garden planting as you wander around this beautiful garden. It has wonderful sunken areas, seating in out of the way places, terraces and orchards as well as woodlands walks and large ponds to gently walk around and enjoy the shade and places to sit. In the distance the hills and beautiful Somerset countryside. We did not go into the house but enjoyed the cafe nearby which was very busy. We sat for our tea in an open courtyard which had, above our heads, an open girder-like structure which, to our minds as it was a very warm day, could have been covered with shading to give some relief from the sun. A very enjoyable visit but pick a dry warm day and you will not be disappointed.

This is a lovely gentle walk on a spring or Summers day, but the entrance price is quite high for the privilege.

Lovely formal gardens that have been beautifully restored whilst the walk around the woodlands and waterfall are well worth the effort, as the views are tremendous. Met a group of friends and we enjoyed morning coffee, lunch and afternoon tea in the cafe! Plenty of walking in between and also a visit to the art gallery in the house. Hopefully they will be able to make more of the premises in the future - in time for my next visit.

This is a real jewel of a garden. A great walk around the woodlands up to the pond (don't miss the rill feeding the waterfall) and then back round into these wonderfully designed and planted gardens. The views across the Taunton vale are fabulous, there are some hidden gems, and the hard architecture is truly inspiring as it forms a great frame for all the plants. The coffee shop is worth a visit too.

Beautiful Gardens,lovely country settings,wonderful walks,great kanteen ,inspiring to a amateurs ,refreshing to professional gardeners.the garden architecture is amazing.well worth a visit .the history is great to !!!

Hestercombe isn't very easy to find, (you have to make your way down some little lanes), but it's really worth the effort. Note that it is not a National Trust property.

First have a stroll around the woodland garden, stopping in the quirky follies to admire the landscapes. Then enjoy the formal but relaxed-feeling gardens, crammed with beautiful roses and other perennials.

The plants on sale were not only unusual, but bursting with health.

There was a modern art exhibition in the house itself, which unfortunately we hadn't left enough time to look at properly.

Had a pleasant day by all,beautiful views of the vale of Taunton. Always something different through the year to see and a super coffee shop with home made cakes and lunches.

Usually use their stable coffee shop a few times a week as it makes a nice change from town centre places. Always pleasant service and a nice atmosphere. Only thing that can be annoying is they run out of tea cakes especially when a coach appears. As it is a big seller it seems strange that they can't cater for this when the know that coaches are booked in. Surely you would have enough stock! These can be put through the toaster frozen so why run out of a big seller ! However lovely place and a favourite There is a fee to gain access to the grounds but anyone can use the coffee shop at the front of the premises avoiding the fee.

We enjoyed a thoroughly delightful stroll throughout Hestercombe Gardens and took the path through the woodland area, past the ponds with their ducks and swans and came across various "follies" and seats where we could stop and take in the views of the surrounding countryside and the gardens. Hestercombe Gardens are extremely obliging of well behaved dogs, in fact seem to encourage it and this made our day all the more enjoyable - even being able to stop for a cuppa and slice of cake in the Stables Café where our dogs were allowed a bowl of water! There is a small Gift Shop and plant shop which was good to have a walk round. The House is open to visitors and has an ongoing exhibition of paintings and sculptures, plus some other interesting exhibits! We thoroughly enjoyed walking through this beautifully kept, natural garden and will most probably visit again as the surroundings are sure to be ever changing with the seasons.

We came here for a little day out and we are glad we did.

The gardens are well set out with lots of choices of path to follow depending on how far you really want to walk. We did the full walk and did find some areas steep so bear this in mind when choosing your route.

There are lots of valleys, sitting points and look out areas for you to enjoy the gardens in their fullest and the ponds they hold.

Once you have completed the walk you can then enjoy the walled gardens and their fountains which were well kept and good for a nice walk around.

The house is also now open for cream teas overlooking the gardens although we chose to go in the cafe afterwards by the shop. There is also an exhibition in the house at the moment and this looks to continue.

This was nice but I would really like to see picture or photos of the gardens of how they were previously throughout the ages.

Had a nice few hours here.

Visited with my family and in laws along with small children. The walk suited all and gave all a very pleasant day out in glorious surroundings.

Very enjoyable day out followed by a meal at the Lethbridge Arms, (already reviewed).All in all a very pleasant day

Not the easiest place to find - our satnav seemed to struggle but we followed the brown signs... The landscaped garden was deigned to offer a variety of views - which it does perfectly. The walk is a little steep but worth it for the contrasts in perspective. In contrast the Lutyens/Jeykell formal garden provides a riot of planting and colour in a very exuberant but planned way. We liked the films setting the scene and explaining how the gardens came to be planted. We liked seeing the house too - currently in use as a gallery but until recently the offices of the fire brigade. Nice cafe, and a variety of plants on sale.

This was a nice way to spend the morning. We walked the grounds with our coffee and tea. Very peaceful. The grounds were beautiful. The house is being restored I believe. There was some art exhibit on the second floor which was interesting. I mostly enjoyed the outside. I wanted to have afternoon tea there, but we did not have time.

We call in every time we use the M5. It makes a great stop. Grown ups, the dog & oh yes children. All love breaking out off the car & heading into the gardens. The kids can run & tire themselves out & the older folk marvel as the garden is restored. 2out off 3 kids want to live in the restored garden house. It's lovely as the kids don't impinge on other visitors, this can be so annoying. The cafe is yummy & does a great choice off food and great coffee. Maybe one day I'll get too have a pamper session in the beauty parlour.
Ooh yes we also have to check the shop & plants out. Great place for that something special. Do I like Hestercombe. YES I DO :-)

Went here for a conference as we do every year and food is very good. The hall fro the conferences is OK a bit too long and narrow but that's just for our type of conference.
The Gardens are very nice however I do think the cost of entrance is a little too high

On a warm and sunny day we visited Hestercombe, acres of interesting gardens to roam. Some lovely formal gardens.The house was a disappointment, architecturally poor and institutionalised by the Somerset Fire service, and full of uninteresting modern sculptures and art. Followed by a good cream tea !
The Gardens are a member of the Historic Houses Association, thus free if you are a member.