About Us

Rupert and Sara Eley took over the garden in 1995, and opened the plant centre in 1996. 

Rupert is the fourth generation of his family to garden at East Bergholt Place, his great-grandfather Charles having started to lay out the gardens at the turn of the last century.

Two children, Cuthbert and Rosie, Daisy and Teasel the two terriers, an assortment of free range chickens and ducks. Blue the Peacock, Carla the Penhen and Sweet Pea the Peachick born this summer.  

Rupert has been a keen gardener since childhood and after an early career in the city trained in horticulture at Hadlow College.

Rupert now serves on several of The Royal Horticultural Society’s Committees and is involved with the Suffolk Agricultural Association and Tree Register of the British Isles.

Opening Hours

Plant Centre
Open daily from 10am – 5pm
(dusk if earlier) 
Closed on Easter Sunday and Christmas bank holidays

Garden
Open daily from 1st March to 30th September from 10am-5pm. Closed on Easter Sunday
Admission free

Admission
Adults £6, Children Free
For RHS Concessions please refer to Garden &
Arboretum Section