Osborne House

Osborne House, East Cowes, Isle of Wight  

https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/osborne/

Entry is free for English Heritage members and Friends of Osborne.  If you cycle or catch the bus you get 20% discount by showing your helmet or ticket and you get 15% discount if you book in advance.

Osborne House was the summer home of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert and their children. It was designed by Prince Albert in the Italianate style. It is surrounded by an ornate terrace, gardens, parkland and there is a delightful walled garden. In 2016-17 the terrace was renovated and in the spring it is full of tulips.

The walled garden has trained fruits trees which should, hopefully be coming into bud when we visit. There are two glasshouses alongside which are cold frames and a range of seasonal planting.

Around the grounds you will see magnificent trees some of which were planted by Prince Albert, these include cork oak, giant sequoia and monterey cypress. You are able to walk down to the beach and to Swiss Cottage. The latter was built for the children and has its own garden where the children grew flowers, fruit and vegetables.

As well as formal planting wild flowers can be seen around the grounds, particularly in the spring - snowdrops, bluebells, cyclamen, daffodils growing around the grounds. You may even be lucky enough to see a red squirrel.