Sir Harold Hillier Gardens is famous the world over for the passion of the late Sir Harold. He wanted to bring together the most comprehensive and unrivalled collection of plants hardy in the UK climate, and particularly but not exclusively, trees and shrubs in his private garden in Hampshire to study, conserve and enjoy.

Having begun his garden and arboretum in earnest in 1953, he assembled a remarkable collection including many plants gathered by his father and grandfather. In 1977 he made the Garden into a charitable trust of which Hampshire County Council became the sole trustee. The aim of the trust was to continue to care for and develop Sir Harold’s legacy for the benefit of the people of Hampshire, the UK and the world.

Sir Harold Hillier Gardens is a registered charity number 274737. The Garden’s charitable aims are to conserve, develop and exhibit our world-renowned Gardens and plant collection.

In early 2021, we were delighted to have receive a grant from the Culture Recovery Fund to help the charity recover from the challenges of the pandemic.

The grant has enabled us to cover the loss of income and offset the many extra costs brought on by the pandemic. This fund has helped to protect our rare collection and beautiful gardens, allowing us to stay open for all to visit and continue our key role as horticulturalists, conservationists, and educators. With the grant we have also been able to implement new signage, as well as improving the overall experience and safety of visitor with a new ticketing kiosk, a two-way bridge allowing covid-secure crossing into the gardens, and the addition of plexiglass screens with voice amplifiers at our ticket desks.

We continue to invest the grant in future-proofing the gardens for our next generation of visitors. We are investing in digital experiences, further improving our educational areas, increasing accessibility for those with mobility challenges, and further horticultural planning. The benefits of receiving the grant are far-reaching and will allow the gardens to be enjoyed for generations to come.