RHS Hilltop

Today I was among the relatively privileged few to have a preview visit around the new RHS laboratory, RHS Hilltop, at Wisley before the public areas, including 3 new themed gardens, open next week.  The staff from the old laboratory, which is being restored as a public exhibition space to open in 2022, have moved in and are still exploring their new modern, technically advanced environment .. though of course COVID-19 restrictions are still limiting the number of people working at any one time.

This was probably a once in a lifetime opportunity to explore this area of Wisley without hundreds of people around, including access to the first floor and "The Hub" (extra), a staff rest area, which overlooks the World Food Garden, and will not be open to the general public! 

The garden areas were largely bare ground when I visited over winter and early spring, so it is amazing how green and lush they were looking. The ponds in the Wild Garden (main image) were already home to dragonflies and other pond loving critters; they didn't take long to find this new home!