# NGS Find a Garden — user reviews > 36 indexed App Store user reviews of NGS Find a Garden by The National Gardens Scheme. - Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ngs-find-a-garden/id1063881326/reviews - App overview in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ngs-find-a-garden/id1063881326.md ## Newest reviews (13 of 36) ### 1/5 — Dysfunctional *2023-07-02, version 3.0* Sorry it just doesn’t work. Maybe it’s just today but doesn’t even search just keeps buffering. I shall go Old School using the booklet! ### 1/5 — Poor update *2023-05-29, version 3.0* Bring back the previous app, this so called new improved one is terrible. Crashes every time, not clear if it is providing updates when the distance is changed. The previous app was so much simpler to use. I wonder how many gardens I’ve missed because of this new app. ### 1/5 — App at total failure *2023-05-11, version 3.0* The new app is rubbish leant to define my own distance ALL of YORKSHIRE!!!!!! ### 1/5 — Half the story *2021-04-09, version 2.2* The app only shows gardens with open days, NOT gardens open by arrangement only! That would be ok if it were stated that for gardens by arrangement only you needed to go to the website...but it doesn't. So many will assume there isn't a suitable garden for their group to visit in any given area. ### 1/5 — Hopeless App *2020-06-27, version 2.2* I am opening my garden on 12 July and I can’t find it on the App and you can’t use http on a smart phone, really bad developers just haven’t thought it through ### 1/5 — Poor. Could have been great. *2019-10-22, version 2.2* No search by map area. Only shows a text based search presented on a map as an after thought. Drag the map to a new area and you are out of luck. You will see no results and cannot ‘search here’ as you’d expect to be able to do. Doesn’t show you anything that WAS open so you can’t work out if you missed something (so can plan for next year). Generally a polished high school project kind of app that should have been miles and miles better all things considered. Deleted it from my phone after 10 minutes of abject open mouthed disappointment. What a shame! ### 1/5 — Poorly thought out *2019-05-19, version 2.2* Great idea, poorly thought out. Limited search functionality means I cannot search beyond 28 days or specify a specific date ( other than today , this weekend or next 7 days. Not able to search a specific day for specific town. Search results jumbled and confusing. Done on the cheap I’d say. Shame. A great idea badly executed. ### 1/5 — Frustrating *2019-05-06, version 2.2* Quite frustrating! Such a shame the website and app are limiting: slow, get ‘stuck’ & options are often quite fixed. Lovely gardens, but it’s easier to just google and hope for the best!? ### 1/5 — Useless *2019-01-08, version 2.1* Does not work ### 2/5 — Great App - when it works *2018-06-11, version 2.1* This App is quick, flexible and user friendly. However it has a major malfunction issue. 4 out of 5 times it replies to my search request ..after a long pause. ... sorry we can't help with your search request. Please check your internet connection. There is nothing wrong with my internet connection. There is something wrong with the App.. Sort this out and I'll give it five stars without hesitation. ### 1/5 — Absolutely useless. Doesn’t even work. *2018-06-05, version 2.1* Don’t bother with this app it’s useless! It simply doesn’t work. How this even got on the App Store is beyond belief. ### 1/5 — App. Search not working on either iPhone 5 or 7 *2018-06-04, version 2.1* When we search it returns and error. Sorry we can’t complete your search right now. Please check your internet connection. But there is nothing wrong with our connection. Very inconvenient. ### 1/5 — Stopped working *2018-06-02, version 2.1* This app has stopped working. I’ve reloaded/updated it but it’s still the same. It does have the link to the website on the front page. ## Most critical reviews (10 lowest-rated) ### 1/5 — Widget *2025-07-31, version 3.0.6* I can’t get the accessibility widget off the app. It’s really intrusive so I have deleted the app. ### 1/5 — Disappointing with limitations on searches *2025-05-24, version 3.1* We like going ‘yellow booking’ but are increasingly frustrated by the App ( and website). Seems to be no way to set a perimeter for the searches and by county is useless if you live on the border of 4 of them. Map is now very poor and relies on opening each garden in turn. Every time we have searched we get different answers. It’s clunky, limited and not a patch on what it was 5 years ago. Needs reprogramming ### 1/5 — I just cannot get this app nor the website to work! *2024-05-25, version 3.0* Surely whoever is supporting such a fab charity as the NGS can get a grip on the IT problems being reported. It’s clear some people can get the app to work but so many are reporting problems. We’ve reverted to the magazine to check the program of open gardens. All the home owners who invest so much effort into opening their gardens deserve better support from the IT to ensure visits and charity donations are maximised. ### 1/5 — Really useless *2024-05-25, version 3.0* The app is no longer fit for purpose and I now just use the booklet and hope there are no last minute cancellations . ### 1/5 — I AGREE - DOES NOT WORK *2024-05-24, version 3.0* As others have commented, it doesn’t work. How can it be worse than the old version? ### 1/5 — Useless *2024-05-18, version 3.0* Absolute waste of time. Does not give open gardens near current location even though I know there are some available. Keeps hanging. ### 1/5 — Absolutely awful *2024-04-01, version 3.0* This app is almost unusable, if it doesn’t get fixed the visitor rate and charity money raised will plummet. ### 1/5 — Just doesn’t work 🤦‍♀️ *2023-08-16, version 3.0* Awful to navigate and filter. Doesn’t include gardens that are advertising openings locally. I give up. ### 1/5 — Atrocious *2023-07-31, version 3.0* The new app is atrocious. It doesn’t work properly, it doesn’t find any open gardens based on my location. We have given up looking to see if there are any gardens open to visit. It’s hard to believe that the new app was actually tested before being released because it’s just not fit for purpose ### 1/5 — Have NGS gardens seen a drop off in visitor numbers? *2023-07-23, version 3.0* We’ve been going to NGS Gardens for years. The old app worked well. The functionality on the new one is atrocious! It returns no gardens when you know that can’t be true. The functionality isn’t intuitive. I can’t believe the 5-star reviews are real!!! Please update the app NGS!!!! ## Most praised reviews (10 highest-rated) ### 5/5 — Good app. Improvements made??! *2024-04-27, version 3.0* There must have been some good work done on this app since the bad ones. I think it’s excellent. Thumbs up ### 5/5 — Quick and easy way to find an open garden *2023-02-27, version 2.2* I find this app, very useful for seeing what gardens are open near me on any weekend. ### 5/5 — Wild and Green *2022-03-30, version 2.2* Can’t understand the negative reviews! As of 2021 I’ve found it informative, useful, easy to use and many Fantastic gardens to visit. Charitable contributions are what it’s all about. Gloucestershire has been a massive hit for me. ### 5/5 — Seems fine to me! *2019-09-01, version 2.2* I am surprised by some of the other comments as this app has a bright, clear feel to it and does what it sets out to do, namely enable a search of what’s open and/or coming up in the chosen area. Gardens are listed by geographical radius (or map) and one can then drill down to look at the detailed entry. Worth having on my iPad and an easy link through to the NGS website if required. No bells and whistles l agree, but that’s exactly what I’m looking to avoid when visiting a garden! ### 5/5 — Neat and Exact *2019-03-24, version 2.1* This app does everything just right for checking gardens to visit within a 50 mile radius and one month ahead. If you want to look beyond then click the link for the website. Otherwise it’s great for finding gardens and supporting charities. It’s on a budget to ensure maximum benefit. ### 5/5 — Brilliant *2016-06-02, version 2.0* I just LOVE this app, it's the best thing since sliced bread and is a real aid to finding the gardens open near me - wherever I might be! Top marks NGS 👏😀 ### 5/5 — Nice and easy to use! *2016-03-18, version 2.0* Simple, easy to use app that does exactly what it says on the tin! All the detail you need to help plan a visit to a garden. Particularly like the feature of being able to link to maps to get directions. ### 4/5 — Great! Very simple! *2016-03-24, version 2.0* Very simple app possibly too simple though-would prefer few more search options like the website has! Please add a 'favourite' button too please. ### 2/5 — Old app good new app bad *2023-08-16, version 3.0* Not fit for purpose ### 2/5 — Only 28 days ahead *2019-02-11, version 2.1* So, I download the App to see which dates I should reserve this summer for local garden open days. The app works fine - none of the crashing issues reviewed elsewhere. But it’s only designed to show me open days in (up to) the next 28 days, based on an unalterable 50 mile radius. I want to be able to specify a date range (start and finish) later in the year, and to choose my own radius. Great potential, but (so far) inadequate functionality. --- *Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-07-29.*