Located in the parish of Westleigh, Tapeley Park sits high on a hill overlooking the River Torridge and the North Devon coastline. Home to the Christie family for two centuries, Hector Christie is the current custodian of the estate.
Tapeley Park is located between Bideford and Barnstaple, near the village of Instow. Visitors can follow brown tourist signs from the A39 onto the B3233 (please note if you use the post code in Sat Nav you will be directed to the incorrect entrance). The Tapeley Garden entrance is just beyond the turning sign posted to Westleigh Village, coming from the Bideford direction.
GARDEN OPENING HOURS: Our gardens are now open to all visitors and will be open Sunday 29th March until Thursday 29th October 2026 on Sundays to Thursday 10.00am to 5.00pm.
No need to book a slot for the gardens – just turn up and purchase your tickets from the Gift Shop
Adults £8.50
Children £6.50 Under 5’s Free
Seniors £7.00
Family Ticket (2 Adults and up to 3 Children) £22.00
Friends of Tapeley Season Ticket – Adult – £35.00, Child – £15.00
Group prices on application
Family friendly, dog friendly (on leads).
Disabled facilities
If you use a wheelchair (manual or electric) or a walker there are parts of the garden which may not be suitable, for example the walk through the wood to the lake and across the fields to the monument statue.
We offer disabled parking (located by the Pay Hut) which are not too far from the gardens which offers seating, and the toilet facilities are close at hand.
There is a lovely Tea Room which is accessible with indoor and outdoor seating – garden admission charges apply to use this facility – now open to all visitors from Sunday 29th March until Thursday 29th October 2026. Our opening times are Sunday to Thursday 10:00am – 5.00pm.
Address:
Tapeley Park
Instow
North Devon
EX39 4NT
Tapeley Park
Instow
North Devon
EX39 4NT
Whatthreewords: padding.makeovers.return
Telephone:
01271 860897
(or contact the Estate office 01271 342558)
01271 860897
(or contact the Estate office 01271 342558)
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The peony beds at Tapeley usually come into their own around June, but in the Italian Terrace gardens, a lone flower dares to make its presence known in April! ![]()
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Did you know that peonies have a mutually beneficial relationship with ants? The insects are drawn to the flower for its sugary sap and are often found maneuvering around peony petals. ![]()
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Far from being harmful to the bright buds, ccording to The Old Farmers Almanac, the ants play a protectorial role, defending the plant against other garden pests which may threaten the flowers. Once the plant blossoms they will move off.![]()
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#peonies #visitdevon #northdevon #visitgardens #tapeleyparkgardens #bideford #barnstaple #instow
You know how it is when you finish an avocado and think, "I could plant this pit and grow my own avocados."?.... Well be prepared for a long wait! ![]()
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In the Tapeley kitchen garden, it's still early days for the season, but here's a shot from the greenhouse where two avocado trees followed that exact route. We've kept head gardener Chris in the shot for some perspective.![]()
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The pits were planted 6 years ago and the foliage continues to pile on, but so far the fruit is conspicuous by its absence. That's not unusual - it can take up to 10 years for avocado trees to fruit, and growing them in the UK brings its own challenges. ![]()
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However, we remain eternally optimistic. Will this be the year that Tapeley grown avocados appear on the The Tea Rooms at Tapeley menu?! We'd love to hear if anyone has an avocado success story to share! Please post your photos in the comments. ![]()
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#avocadotree #homegrown #tapeleyparkgardens #northdevon #victoriangarden ![]()
#walledgarden #kitchengarden #visit #instow
Amazing Azaleas in bloom this week! This shocking pink display can be found on the steps leading up from the Terraces to the Kitchen Garden. Although the name comes from the Greek for 'dry' this plant from the Rhododendron family thrives when it receives regualr moisture - so this dry week aside it's been very happy this year!![]()
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#springblooms #springflowers #tapeleyparkgardens #visitnorthdevon
Four from the Tearoom table! It's not just the gardens that make Tapeley a memorable visit. The @the_garden_box_devon team are joining Rob in the The Tea Rooms at Tapeley for pop-up sessions every Thursday and here's a taster of what's on offer.![]()
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Lunch menu mains:![]()
- 50/50 Plate - An equal measure of haloumi and falaffel with all the trimmings for that 'sunny' feeling.![]()
- Heart warming Minestrone - homemade hearty soup with some serious chunkage. ![]()
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And for dessert (or snack reward!)?:![]()
- Lemon & Rosemary Polenta cake (gluten and dairy free).![]()
- Decadent chocolate cake (gluten and dairy free).![]()
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Feast this Thursday lunchtime (book ended by some excellent strollinga round the Tsspeley Park gardens!
How do you say Spring is here without saying Spring is here?...![]()
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Well anyway, it's springing by the day! With a spell of dry weather, sunny days, reasonable temperatures (though layer up as that wind can still be brisk), Tapeley Park gardens is a great day out for nature lovers.![]()
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#naturelovers #spring #visitgardens #northdevon #tapeleyparkgardens
