Garden history tours

Join our expert guides as they share the historical highlights of Hampton Court Gardens.

Guides will lead you through the historic parts of the gardens, covering over 500 years of history - including the Fountain Garden (also called the East Front), the Privy Garden and Queen Mary’s Bower to the Orangery Garden and the Pond Gardens.

Discover the Tudor beginnings of the Privy Garden and the Pond Gardens. Hear about the origins of the Great Vine, planted in 1768 by Master Gardener Lancelot ‘Capability’ Brown. Now over 250 years old, the Great Vine is the largest grape vine in the world.

A garden history tour is the ideal way to begin an afternoon exploring the gardens at your leisure.

Tour information:

• Tours are not taking place on the following dates: 25 April, 27-29 April, 04-07 May, 09-13 May, 18/19 May, 24/25 May, 30 May, 28 June, 01-08 September, 10/11 October. Other events that take place in the gardens will take priority over gardens tours.
• An alternative tour including the West and North Front, Rose Garden, Tiltyard, Kitchen Garden and Wilderness will be available if the East Front becomes inaccessible due to an event.
• The tours explore the history of the gardens and are not horticultural tours.
• The tours may be cancelled due to other priority events or extreme weather conditions - you may wish to bring an umbrella, water, sunhat, or all three!