Overview

These gardens are a hidden gem with lots of wide smooth paths to access most of the garden, 6 blue badge parking spaces, an excellent restaurant/cafe and helpful staff. You cannot access the green houses but in a wheelchair you need to make compromises and I could see inside through the end windows. I loved the vegetable area and the meandering paths. Good sized Disabled toilet and room for my large power chair.

Transport & Parking

I drove to the gardens and I do not know about public transport. There are 6 generously sized blue badge parking spaces, 4 very close to the entrance and 2 a further 10 metres away. See photo.

Access

The entrance into the cafe/foyer area is not huge but manageable and the staff were helpful and explained the best route around the garden for us. The cafe (see photo) sells excellent food at reasonable prices and the staff were very helpful. I would agree with one of the other reviewers that there was not much space between the tables but I have been to lots of places which are more cramped and I still managed.

Toilets

One accessible toilet. Clean and the red cord touched the ground. No photo as there is one from the previous review. I also liked the fact the door was not heavy so I could open and close it myself and there was plenty of room for me to turn around and open the door.

Staff

Friendly in both the garden entrance and the cafe. I did not go into the shop but will go next time.

Anything else you wish to tell us?

I searched on Euan's guide for attractions close to Chichester and the 2 reviews for West Dean gardens were really very negative but I still decided to visit. I was really pleased I made the effort. There are more blue badge parking spaces than mentioned on the previous review and I was particularly impressed with the wide smooth paths which are very rare and a great help to me as I am less likely to experience leg spasms or get my wheelchair filthy. Maybe because it was October the gardens and cafe were quieter and it was sunny day I had a generally better experience ? Anyway please visit.

Photos