Sculpture Trail at Waterperry Gardens

Hello! I hope all my readers had a good summer. My approach to summer holidays was taking an occasional day off or long weekend. During my most recent day off, Lucy and I went with our nieces and nephew to do a kid’s sculpture trail at a Waterperry Gardens, near Oxford. The estate has ornamental gardens, a garden centre, tea room, and a lovely orchard. I can’t believe I’d never been before, despite having lived in Oxford for nearly 12 years! I took some photos to share with you for a mini virtual tour of the sculpture trail at Waterperry Gardens – enjoy!

The Sculpture Trail

We started by picking up the scavenger hunt list, which had images of all the sculptures and directions for the kids to follow. Additionally, they each got a compass. It was so much fun teaching the kids to find North and then follow the clues to the sculptures. The sculpture installations were all stained glass, created by a local artist. Some of the sculptures included: The Tiger Who Came to Tea, The Three Wise Monkeys, The Hungry Caterpillar, and the peacock was my favourite.

The Gardens

Even if you aren’t into the sculptures, Waterperry Gardens has some gorgeous ornamental borders. Late summer is always a great time of year for perennial borders in the UK because they pop with yellows, reds, and purples! The orchards were full of nearly ripe apples and pears, and we picked up some delicious apple juice made from Russet Apples.

The gardens offered a great mix of wooded areas, field paths, manicured lawns, and stream-side trails. It was such a peaceful spot to wander around. In fact, they even had a silent enclosed garden that you could use for meditation.

Worth Visiting?

The cafe had freshly prepared food made on site, and there was a good selection and children’s menu. There is also a garden centre and gift barn that you can visit without paying the fee for the ornamental gardens. All in all, it was a great experience for the kids and I would definitely suggest it as a family day out. I believe they do seasonal scavenger hunts for half term beaks, and annual passes. And, if you don’t have kids, it’s a popular spot for gardening lovers. If you’re in the Oxfordshire area, I recommend visiting!