Bicton Park Botanical Gardens Budleigh Salterton

Forget your stuffy, silent gardens. Bicton Park Botanical Gardens is a glorious explosion of weird and wonderful. Think of it as a theme park for plant lovers and curious wanderers. Just swap the rollercoasters for 200-year-old trees and a giant, fire-breathing... pineapple?

The World’s Fanciest Greenhouse

Meet the Main Palm House. It’s a cathedral made of glass and iron, built in the 1820s. Stepping inside feels like walking into a Victorian fever dream of jungle plants.

Look up. The ceiling is soaring and dripping with strange vines. You half expect a dinosaur to poke its head out from behind a fern.

The temperature is a humid, sticky embrace. Your glasses will fog up instantly. It’s part of the experience.

A Pineapple That’s Not for Eating

Outside, you’ll spot something ridiculous. It’s a giant, stone pineapple sitting on a wall. Why? Because the Victorians loved showing off wealth, and nothing said "I’m rich" like an expensive, exotic fruit.

This pineapple is a symbol of status. It’s just sitting there, smug and stony, judging your holiday snacks.

Take a selfie with it. It’s required by law. (Not really, but you’ll want to.)

The World’s Most Delightful Train

You don’t have to walk everywhere. There’s a miniature railway chugging around the park. It’s a tiny, clattering train that looks like a toy.

You sit in little open carriages. The wind whips your hair as you chug past giant gunnera leaves. It’s absurdly charming.

Grown adults squeal with joy on this train. Don’t pretend you’re too cool. You aren’t.

Beetles That Dig and Ducks That Don’t Care

The Italian Garden is full of symmetrical patterns and geometric hedges. It’s all very proper and controlled. Then, you see the giant metal beetles.

Yes, beetles. Huge, shiny sculptures of stag beetles crawling on the grass. They look like alien invaders from a retro sci-fi film.

Meanwhile, the resident ducks waddle past them without a glance. They’ve seen it all. They are unimpressed.

The Secret of the Hermitage

Deep in the woods, you’ll find a mossy, fake cave called the Hermitage. It was built for a fake hermit. Rich people back then literally hired a guy to live there and look philosophical.

It’s a little, damp, stone room. You can peer inside and imagine a grumpy man in a robe staring back at you. It is the ultimate quirky garden flex.

Today, it’s just a cool, dark spot for kids to hide. The vibe of "pretend monk" still lingers in the air.

The Cactus House is a Chaotic Desert

One minute you’re in lush, green England. The next, you’re in a dry, spiky hellscape. The Cactus House is a glass building full of pointy, angry plants.

They look like Dr. Seuss drawings come to life. Some are fuzzy, some are tall and ribbed, and some look painfully sharp. Do not fall into these plants.

The air smells of dry dirt and sunshine. It’s a weird, wonderful break from all the green and wet.

Don’t Miss the Furry Trees

Walk towards the Fernery. It’s a sunken, damp grotto full of ancient ferns. But the real stars are the tree ferns from New Zealand.

These trees have trunks that are covered in soft, brown, fuzzy roots. They look like giant, shaggy dog legs. You will be desperate to touch one.

Go ahead. It feels like stroking a very old, very slow animal. The park staff won’t stop you. They expect it.

Alpacas Are on the Guest List

Past the formal gardens, you hit the Animal Garden. It’s a small zoo within the park. And yes, there are alpacas.

They have ridiculous haircuts and stare at you with immense, judgmental boredom. They look like fluffy, four-legged professors with bad perms.

They might spit. It’s a risk you take for a great photo.

The American Garden is a Time Machine

This section is a wild jumble of rhododendrons and towering redwoods from North America. It was planted by plant hunters who risked their lives for a cool shrub.

The paths are narrow and twisty. You feel like a tiny explorer in a giant leaf jungle. The air smells sweet and damp.

It’s the best place to get lost for 20 minutes. You’ll emerge with leaves in your hair and a new appreciation for big plants.

Finish With a Giant Piece of Cake

After all that walking, you need fuel. The café inside the old stables is a must. The scones are the size of your head.

Sit outside with a pot of tea. Watch the happy, tired families stroll by. Listen to the train whistle in the distance.

You’ll leave feeling sleepy, slightly muddy, and completely delighted. Bicton Park is a silly, beautiful, wonderful place. Go get lost in it.