Visitors with tickets to one of Dorset’s most popular attractions could be in with a chance to visit a renowned botanic garden – but they’ll need to travel 4,000 miles to get there.

Abbotsbury Subtropical Gardens’ season ticket holders with a taste for travel can now get free entry to Andromeda Botanic Gardens on the sunshine isle of Barbados in the eastern Caribbean.

Members and annual pass holders can access free entry to both gardens throughout the year as part of the new partnership. 

Andromeda Botanic Gardens contains a magnificent array of different plants from many other tropical and sub-tropical locations.

The site was established by horticulturalist Iris Bannochie around her home in St Joseph, Barbados.

When Iris passed away in 1988, the Gardens passed to the Barbados National Trust.

John Houston, general manager of Abbotsbury Tourism – which runs Abbotsbury Subtropical Gardens – welcomes the connection.

He said: “Although it may seem that Barbados is a very long way from Dorset, we know that people who love gardens do travel all over the world to see rare and unusual plants in lovely settings.”

He added: “We very much look forward to welcoming any Botanic Gardens’ members to Abbotsbury and hope our season ticket holders who are lucky enough to visit Barbados will enjoy visiting the Andromeda Gardens.” 

Abbotsbury Subtropical Gardens is filled with rare and exotic plants from across the world across different zones and features such as a Jurassic swamp and Himalayan glades. 

Sharon Cooke, managing director of Andromeda Botanic Gardens, said: “It is a real privilege to have a connection with Abbotsbury Subtropical Gardens, one of England’s great gardens, and we look forward to a great relationship.

“There are similarities. Abbotsbury is, like Andromeda, comprised of many different gardens. These create interest and many areas have a degree of intimacy. Both gardens share sublime views of the ocean; both gardens have a fabulous tree collection; and the journeys through both gardens are full of surprises.” 

For further information visit www.abbotsburygardens.co.uk or www.andromedabarbados.com.