It’s almost Autumn and the rate of gardens opening for the Sussex NGS gardens starts to decline. That said there are still a few beautiful gardens going to open in September that readers can arrange to visit. Geoff Stonebanks, the scheme’s Publicity Officer in East & Mid Sussex has curated a list of venues with his colleague Kate Harrison in West Sussex. Why not pop the dates in your diary and enjoy?
The Old Vicarage, The Street, Washington, RH20 4AS.
Every Thursday in September, 10am to 4pm with entry £8. Pre-booking essential.
This is a truly creative garden, nurtured and developed over 30 plus years to become a visitor’s favourite and has stunning uninterrupted views of the North Downs. The front is formally laid out with topiary, mixed seasonal borders and contemporary water sculpture. The rear features an architectural green oak, lead roofed summer house, mature and new specimen trees and much more.
High Beeches Woodland & Water Garden, High Beeches Lane, Handcross, Haywards Heath, RH17 6HQ.
Sunday 28th September, 1pm to 5pm, entry £11 and children £4.
At High Beeches, you can wander through 25 acres of enchanting, landscaped woodland and water gardens with many rare and beautiful plants, an ancient wildflower meadow and truly glorious autumn colours. There is a picnic area and you can enjoy seeing the National Collection of Stewartias.
Tidebrook Manor, Tidebrook, Wadhurst, TN5 6PD.
Sunday 21st September, 11am to 4.30pm with entry £8.
A welcome return for this beautiful 4-acre country garden developed over the last 20 years with outstanding views of the Sussex countryside. In the Arts and Crafts tradition, the garden features large mixed borders, a series of intimate courtyards, meadows, an hydrangea walk, kitchen garden with raised beds, a willow plat and a wild woodland garden. You’ll enjoy a lively and stimulating garden that looks magnificent throughout the year.
Wych Warren House, Wych Warren, Forest Row, RH18 5LF.
Friday 12th September 2pm to 5pm with entry £6.
A lovely 6-acre garden set in the Ashdown Forest, AONB, much of it mixed woodland. There is a perimeter walk all around property which you can enjoy. This is a delightful and tranquil setting with plenty of space to roam, and various aspects of interest providing sensory and a relaxing visit. Ideal for forest bathing! Lovely stonework, specimen trees, three ponds, herbaceous borders, exotic bed, greenhouse and always something new on the go! Plants for sale and a great range of chutney and jams. Dogs on leads welcome too.
Burlas, Park Crescent, Midhurst, GU29 9ED.
Sunday 7th September 1.30pm to 4.30pm with entry £5. Pre-booking essential.
Stroll around this 150ft south west facing, sloping town garden, developed over 10 years by the current owner. Hedges and trees were planted in 2020, together with a wildlife pond. This is a garden that showcases seasonal succession from early to late flowering prairie style planting. Two areas of grass kept as wild meadows. See the collection of succulents, echeveria, and pelargoniums. Along with unusual pots and planters.
Grovelands, Wineham Lane, Wineham, Henfield, BN5 9AW.
Saturday 6th and Sunday 7th September, 10am to 4.30pm with entry £7. chd free.
A South Downs view welcomes you to this rural garden set in over an acre in the hamlet of Wineham. It has been created and developed by local landscape designer Sue McLaughlin and the owners, it is designed to delight throughout the seasons. Some of its many features include mixed borders, mature shrubs and orchard. There is a vegetable garden with greenhouse and pond all hidden behind a tall clipped hornbeam hedge.
King John’s Nursery, Sheepstreet Lane, Etchingham, TN19 7AZ.
Saturday 13th September 10am to 5pm with entry £5.
The garden has been developed alongside the nursery, see a romantic pond garden, gravel garden, long border, meadows and cutting garden. This is truly a garden of wild flowers and full of ideas to take away.
Meadow Farm, Blackgate Lane, Pulborough, RH20 1DF.
Sunday 21st September, 1pm to 5pm with entry £7.
Wander through this 2-acre garden, plus wildflower meadows, designed and planted from scratch by the current owners. There are colour themed beds including double borders, a formal pond, gravel garden and white garden. See the pleached hornbeam avenue to the Sussex countryside. The walled garden provides fruit, cut flowers and vegetables and there is an orchard with hazelnut walk. Don’t miss the wildlife swimming pond with bog garden and the new prairie bed.
There is a pop-up event in September too, not in the county booklet but now posted on the web site. The event will need to be pre booked to visit.
Rapkyns Nursery, Street End Lane, Broad Oak, Heathfield, TN21 8UB.
Wednesday 10th September 11am to 4pm with entry £15, refreshments included.
The nursery has been growing plants in an idyllic country setting for over 30 years and in that time have amassed an extensive range including a huge collection of salvias. Listen to a talk about the nursery and find out more about how they grow and propagate their beautiful plants with a chance to learn some of their secrets. There will be an opportunity to ask questions about all things gardening too.
Look out for our final update of gardens opening in October next month. Full details can be found at www.ngs.org.uk
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