Osborne House

Osborne House Take an intimate glimpse into the life of one of Britain's most recognisable and iconic monarchs šŸ‘‘šŸ° Please email us at [email protected].
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"It is impossible to imagine a prettier spot" - such were the words of Queen Victoria after her first visit to Osborne on the Isle of Wight. No trip to the island would be complete without a visit to this royal seaside palace where Queen Victoria lived with her beloved Prince Albert and their nine children. Take an intimate glimpse into Queen Victoria’s family life as you tour the nursery and priv

ate rooms of Victoria and Albert. Marvel at the magnificence of the Royal Apartments including the sumptuous drawing and dining rooms and the richly decorated Indian-inspired Durbar Room. Admire the stunning view from the terraces across the Solent – said to remind Prince Albert of the bay of Naples and stroll through Osborne’s extensive grounds. Don’t miss the miniature Swiss Cottage, built to teach the royal children the art of household management! Explore Queen Victoria's private beach, open to the public for the first time. "We have quite a charming beach to ourselves," Victoria wrote in 1845 and it was here that the Queen regularly bathed and where her children learned to swim. Enjoy traditional seaside entertainment including Punch and Judy shows throughout the summer holidays. HOUSE RULES

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If you have any questions about the house rules, Osborne, the work of English Heritage, membership or queries that need a more in depth answer our Customer Services team would be happy to help.

It’s Volunteers’ Week, the perfect time to celebrate the incredible people who give their time to support Osborne. Today...
04/06/2026

It’s Volunteers’ Week, the perfect time to celebrate the incredible people who give their time to support Osborne. Today, we’re proud to recognise two outstanding volunteers who are marking an amazing 25 years of service šŸ‘

Bob Hurst was one of the very first 25 volunteers to join us back in March 2001. Starting as a garden volunteer, he also spent time as a garden guide, but for most of his years here he has been a dedicated woodland volunteer. From producing pea sticks, bean poles and plant supports to helping manage the woodland by removing unwanted tree species, Bob has played a vital role behind the scenes.

Don Preston began volunteering in August 2001 after a visit with his local gardening group and a conversation with the Head Gardener. He has been part of the Walled Garden ever since. Over the years, he’s taken on everything from pruning fruit trees and dividing herbaceous plants to preparing displays for the glasshouse. And like any garden, much of his time is spent weeding and keeping everything looking its best.

Both Bob and Don share the same reasons for their long-standing commitment: learning from the garden team, working in beautiful, historic surroundings, getting outdoors, meeting people and making lasting friendships.

šŸ‘ Thank you, Bob and Don, for 25 years of dedication, hard work and passion. You are truly valued members of our team.

Pictured: Photo 1 – Bob (left) with Senior Gardener Ade (right); Photo 2 – Don

The Rosa ā€˜Cardinal de Richelieu’ is currently in beautiful flower on the terraces šŸ’œA renowned Gallica shrub rose, this h...
02/06/2026

The Rosa ā€˜Cardinal de Richelieu’ is currently in beautiful flower on the terraces šŸ’œ

A renowned Gallica shrub rose, this historic variety was first introduced in the 1840s by Belgian breeder Louis-Joseph-Ghislain Parmentier. Its rich, velvety purple blooms make it a wonderful example of an old garden rose, valued for both its colour and fragrance.

If you’re visiting the terraces, be sure to look out for this striking variety at its peak ✨

This week, work on the summer bedding has continued.We’ve planted up most of the pavilion terrace with large Ensetes (ba...
31/05/2026

This week, work on the summer bedding has continued.

We’ve planted up most of the pavilion terrace with large Ensetes (banana plants) and Cannas to give height to the beds, along with silver-leaved plants like Jacobaea and Helichrysum for the edges. Tagetes, Cleomes, and Salvias provide the main bulk of planting with plenty of Begonias still to go in.

We’ve also moved onto the upper fountain terrace, where the mounded beds have been planted with Cannas and bananas. For the edges, we added Chlorophytums (spider plants), along with Pelargoniums and Heliotrope to form the main body of planting.

The terraces are quickly beginning to take shape, it’s exciting to watch them develop.

Our historic peony varieties are putting on a stunning show across the grounds right now 🌸✨
30/05/2026

Our historic peony varieties are putting on a stunning show across the grounds right now 🌸✨

Our head gardener recently introduced us to this lovely little plant with the adorable nickname Tumbling Ted! 🌸Take a lo...
29/05/2026

Our head gardener recently introduced us to this lovely little plant with the adorable nickname Tumbling Ted! 🌸

Take a look at the beautiful Saponaria ocymoides located in the herbaceous border below the terrace balustrade.

Running into the last few days of half term like… ā˜€ļøšŸƒā€ā™€ļøMake the most of the sunshine with a family day out at Osborne t...
28/05/2026

Running into the last few days of half term like… ā˜€ļøšŸƒā€ā™€ļø

Make the most of the sunshine with a family day out at Osborne this week.

There’s plenty to keep little adventurers busy. Including our Mystery Mission event running 23-31 May. šŸ•µļø

Work is continuing on our trainees’ annual beds 🌱With the help of our amazing volunteers, they’ve been busy planting the...
27/05/2026

Work is continuing on our trainees’ annual beds 🌱

With the help of our amazing volunteers, they’ve been busy planting the final batch of plug plants. It’s great to see new seedlings already coming through, exciting progress as everything begins to take shape!

Join our wonderful volunteers for garden tours on Wednesdays for the Walled Garden and Thursdays for the Terraces.Tours ...
26/05/2026

Join our wonderful volunteers for garden tours on Wednesdays for the Walled Garden and Thursdays for the Terraces.

Tours run at 13:30 and 14:30, with no booking required and they’re included with your ticket at no extra cost. Come along and discover more of the gardens!

Pelargonium appreciation post šŸ˜šŸŒæStep inside the South African glasshouse in the walled garden and you’ll find one of our...
25/05/2026

Pelargonium appreciation post šŸ˜šŸŒæ

Step inside the South African glasshouse in the walled garden and you’ll find one of our most charming displays, a beautiful collection of historic pelargoniums in full bloom.

These much-loved plants made their journey from South Africa to Europe in the 1600s, where wealthy collectors proudly showcased them in some of the earliest glasshouses. By the Victorian era, they had become a full-blown gardening obsession, with breeders developing hundreds of hybrids. This gave rise to the flamboyant Regal, Zonal, and wonderfully fragrant scented-leaf varieties we know and love today.

If you’re visiting Osborne, don’t miss the glasshouses and be sure to smell the leaves of the scented varieties for a truly delightful surprise 🌸

This week, the first of our summer bedding plants have officially gone into the ground!We’ve been busy planting much of ...
24/05/2026

This week, the first of our summer bedding plants have officially gone into the ground!

We’ve been busy planting much of the lower terrace with bold favourites like Cannas and Brugmansias, then infilling with colourful additions including Pelargoniums, Salvias and Marigolds. From there, we’ve moved up to the upper terrace to get things started there too.

There’s still plenty to do, but it’s already a fantastic start to the bedding season.

Now the wait begins as everything grows, develops, and bursts into bloom, get ready for a stunning display this summer ā˜€ļøšŸŒ¼

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York Avenue
East Cowes
PO326JX

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