West Sussex County Council: Gardens and Parklands

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Gardens and Parklands

Passport to Great Gardens of Sussex. Visit four of the gardens and enjoy the fifth, free of charge.

The Great Gardens of Sussex are within fifteen minutes drive of each other in mid Sussex and together offer a uniquely rich and varied choice of gardens. All are full of rare, historic and fascinating plants and are linked by history and family connections.

As Edward Shorthouse of Nymans says; "The passport gives everyone the chance to visit an enormous selection of rare and unusual plants from around the world – in the heart of mid-Sussex. "

The five gardens participating in the passport are shown below.

Borde Hill is a most romantic English garden with many intimate ‘living garden rooms’, including glorious Rose and Italian gardens, magnificent parkland, fine lakes and woodland.

High Beeches Gardens is an enchanting woodland and water garden with many rare plants and an amazing wildflower meadow. For peace and tranquillity there is nowhere better.

Leonardslee possesses an amazing collection of Rhododendrons, Azaleas, Magnolias and Camellias as well wallabies, vintage cars and the world’s largest doll’s house display.

Nyman’s is renowned for atmosphere and beauty as well as rare and important plants, parkland walks, lakes and woodland, herbaceous borders, ruins and temples.

Wakehurst is Kew’s country estate with year round interest and a stunning collection of plants from around the globe as well as the internationally renowned Millennium Seed Bank.

Visitors can pick up a passport from any of the five participating gardens and need to ensure that it is stamped by each garden that they visit. The passport is valid until the end of October 2009. Alternatively a copy of the Passport may be printed from www.greatgardensofsussex.com

Please note that free entry using the Passport excludes special event days.

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Beech Hurst Gardens

Beech Hurst Gardens, A272 Butlers Green Road, Haywards Heath, RH16 4BB

Attractive public park with extensive views of the South Downs. Tennis courts, pitch & putt, putting, petanque, bowls and childrens play area. Miniature steam railway (weekend afternoons, Easter-end Sept). Owned and managed by Mid Sussex District Council. 

  • No pre-booking required
  • Group Contact: Ben Toogood
  • Opening Times: 24 hours a day all year

Contact
Borde Hill Garden

Borde Hill Garden, Haywards Heath, RH16 1XP

Botanically rich garden with distinctive 'rooms' including the Rose and Italian Gardens. Spring - flowering magnolias, camellias, rhododendrons and azaleas give way to exuberant borders of roses and herbaceous plants. Woodland and lakeside walks. Playground and fishing.

  • Group pre-booking required. Tudor House open 1st - 14th June for pre - booked groups
  • Group Contact: Susan Lewis
  • Max no: 35
  • Length of Visit: 4 hours
  • Additional Information: Discount for 20 or more visitors if paid 2 weeks in advance. Free entry to group organiser and coach driver. Wheelchairs on site and audio guides. 
Contact:
Denmans Garden

Denmans Garden, Denmans Lane, Fontwell BN18 0SU

Unique 4 acre garden designed for year round interest. Award winning fully licensed Garden Café and gift shops. Beautiful Plant Centre.

  • Group pre-booking required
  • Max no: 50 
  • Group contact: Claudia Murphy
  • Opening Times:
    • Daily all year (except 25, 26 Dec & 1 Jan)
    • Garden & Plant Centre 0900-1700 (dusk in winter)
    • Garden Café 1000-1700 (dusk in winter) 
  • Length of visit: 2-3 Hours
  • Coach Parking: Separate coach park, signposted, maps sent to groups.
  • Additional Information: Group visits welcome by appointment only. Wheelchairs provided. Free cup of tea or coffee for coach driver.
Contact
High Beeches Garden

High Beeches Woodland and Water Gardens, Handcross, RH17 6HQ.

Extensive, beautifully landscaped woodland and water gardens, many rare plants. The best natural wildflower meadow in the South East.

  • Group pre-booking required.
  • Group contact: Sarah Bray
  • Max. No. 50
  • Opening times: 1300-1700. last admission 1630 from March 21 - Oct 31. Closed Weds. Tearoom open 12 noon all year, closed Weds
  • Length of visit: 2 Hours
  • Additional Information: Restaurant and toilets have full access for disabled and there is limited access for disabled visitors to the gardens
Contact
Leonardslee Pump House

Leonardslee Lakes & Gardens, Lower Beeding, Nr. Horsham RH13 6PP

A romantic 97 hectare valley with 7 lakes. A paradise in spring when sumptuous rhododendrons and azaleas overhang paths lined with bluebells. Wallabies (babies in pouches in spring) live semi-wild in parts of the valley, deer roam in the parks and wildfowl adorn the lakes. The Dolls House is a unique exhibition depicting a country estate and market town of 100 years ago all in miniature 1/12th scale. There is a restaurant, gift shop and plant sales.

  • Group pre-booking required for 20 or more 
  • Group contact: The Secretary
  • Opening times: Open daily 1 Apr- 31 Oct, 0930-1800. Last adm 1630.
  • Length of visit: 4 Hours 
Contact

 

Nymans Garden

Nymans, (National Trust Garden) Handcross, RH17 6EB

One of the great 20th century gardens with an important collection of rare plants, set around a romantic house and ruins in a beautiful wooded estate. Nymans is internationally renowned for its garden design, rare plant collection and intimacy. You can also enjoy wonderful views across the Sussex countryside and explore the ancient woodland, with lakes and wild flowers.

  • Group pre-booking required
  • Length of visit: 2 hours
  • Additional information: National Trust members free.Year round programme of events. Visitors arriving by public transport get a free cup of tea or coffee in the restaurant

Contact

Wakehurst Place, Ardingly RH17 6TN

Wakehurst Place houses a respected botanical garden of international importance offering year-round interest and beauty. Wakehurst’s 500 acres are a living green museum which mixes botanical science with horticulture and highlights the importance of plant conservation for the future of viable life on earth.

  • Group pre-booking required: Groups must be a minimum of 10 paying people 
  • Group contact: Group Bookings Officer
  • Opening times: 1000-1800  Mar- Oct, 1000 - 1630 Nov - Feb. Closed Christmas Eve and Christmas Day
  • Length of visit: 2-3 Hours
  • Additional Information: Groups booking and paying 7 days in advance 20% discount. Groups paying on the day receive 10% discount. Maps available showing areas accessible by wheelchair. Essential carers offered free entry

Contact

West Dean Gardens

West Dean Gardens, West Dean, Chichester, PO18 0QZ

HHA/Christies Garden of the Year 2002.

Award-winning gardens open all year, with stunning 300ft pergola, arboretum, Victorian walled kitchen garden and naturalistic spring garden. Visitor Centre, licensed restaurant, garden and gift shop. Free entry to Sussex Barn Gallery.

  • Group pre-booking required
  • Group contact: Celia Dickinson
  • Opening times: Daily Mar - Oct 1030 - 1700 and Nov - Feb 1030 - 1600. Please note closed 23 Dec - 1st Jan 

Contact

Page created: 4 August 2006
Last reviewed: 5 March 2009