Furzey Fairy Gardens

Hidden away in the New Forest is a garden where fairies have apparently been rather busy.

Furzey Gardens is a 12-acre woodland garden in Minstead, filled with winding paths, unusual plants, secret corners and more than 40 tiny fairy doors waiting to be discovered.

And it’s the fairy doors that immediately turn a visit with children into an adventure.

They’re tucked into tree trunks, hidden beneath bushes and scattered throughout the gardens, so finding them isn’t simply a case of following a row of obvious markers. Kids have to actually explore.

There’s a whole miniature world to discover too. Look carefully and you might stumble across the fairy hospital, bug vet, post office, tiny castle or butterfly growing house. Some are easy to find; others take considerably more searching.

Away from the fairy hunt, there’s a rustic woodland play area with wooden climbing structures, a boardwalk, swings and a blue boat that’s perfect for imaginative games. There are even designated climbing trees where kids are actively allowed to scramble around.

One of the loveliest things about Furzey is that it doesn’t feel like a highly organised attraction where you’re constantly moving from one activity to another. Kids can choose a path, investigate something they’ve spotted or spend twenty minutes searching around one tree because they’re convinced there’s another fairy door hiding there.

There’s plenty for adults to enjoy at the same time. The gardens are home to rare and unusual plants, a peaceful pond and a beautiful historic thatched cottage, while the traditional tea rooms provide a very welcome stop for drinks and cake.

Furzey Gardens is also a little different from many family attractions because your visit helps support its work. It’s a social enterprise of Minstead Trust, and people with learning and neuro disabilities work across the gardens, nursery and tea rooms, developing skills, confidence and independence.

Entry is supported by donations rather than a compulsory ticket price. The current suggested online donation is £9.50 for adults and £5 for children, or £26 for a family of two adults and up to three children.

It’s worth booking your visit before setting off, particularly during school holidays. Furzey has limited parking and uses timed bookings to manage the number of visitors in the gardens.

If your kids need rides and constant entertainment, Furzey probably isn’t that kind of day out. But if they love exploring, climbing, nature, secret paths and the possibility that a tiny fairy might be living underneath the next tree, there’s something genuinely magical about it.

And with more than 40 fairy doors hidden across 12 acres, we’d be very surprised if you managed to find every single one on your first visit.