August, the last official month of summer, is the perfect time to enjoy a garden visit while they are still at their best. Here, Geoff Stonebanks, the National Garden Scheme’s Publicity Officer in East & Mid Sussex, offers up some beautiful plots to visit across Sussex in conjunction with his colleague Kate Harrison from West Sussex, with two of the gardens just over the border in Surrey.
There are five brand new gardens opening through the month plus three new in the Ditchling trail below. There are a total of 36 open days across the month for the scheme and Geoff details seven possibilities below. Full details on all gardens can be found at www.ngs.org.uk
NEW Pekes Manor, Nash Street, Golden Cross, Hailsham, BN27 4AD
Open Sunday 10th August from 2pm to 5pm with entry £6.
Pekes Manor garden was created in 1908 and surrounds a pre-Tudor Manor House and includes several distinct gardens. The garden spans approximately 2 acres and features an ancient pond, a formal front garden, large topiary lawn, rose border, column garden and a walled garden. Pekes is a hospitality venue, so they aim to have something of interest in the garden all year round.
Butlers Farmhouse, Butlers Lane, Herstmonceux, BN27 1QH
Open Saturday 23rd and Sunday 24th August from 2pm to 5pm with entry £7.50.
Is this one of the quirkiest gardens in Sussex? It might well be and the owners are certain you will have fun and enjoy the secret jungle garden, Cornish-inspired beach corners, rainbow border, not to mention the poison garden. The 16 century farmhouse is set in six acres of rural Sussex with the South Downs in the distance. See the wildflower meadow with an odd orchid. Refreshments available but picnics welcome too, but bring your own seating. Live jazz in the afternoon.
Ditchling Garden Trail: six gardens opening, three brand new. Close to A23
Car park on B2116, West St, BN6 8TS. Maps available at The Sandrock Gardens. Saturday 30th August from 11am to 4.30pm with combined entry £8.
Set within the South Downs National Park, Ditchling is a thriving village dating back to the Anglo-Saxon period. Today it is still home to artists, writers, and craftspeople, along with musicians and winemakers. The love and passion for gardening is evident in the six gardens opening. Five being in the village centre whilst White Rails Cottage is ½ mile walk away. Three of the gardens are mature, whilst the three new ones are at various stages of ‘work in progress’. These are exciting projects, each different and complementing each other. Each garden has its own feel, united by a love of bees, birds, butterflies and wildlife. Maybe even spot a hedgehog family or the very rare fungus Sarcodontia crocea at Meadow Cottage.
Pitfield Barn Cut Flower Farm and Studio, Chalkers Lane, Hurstpierpoint, near Hassocks, BN6 9LR
Open Sunday 10th August from midday to 4pm with entry £6.
The owners are passionate about British cut flowers at this working flower farm. They sow, grow and harvest seasonal, British cut flowers without chemicals or pesticides. Their seedlings are grown in peat free compost and they hand cut their flowers to order from what is available, depending on the season. You can learn about the British flower market, how the garden works and their philosophy on Emma’s tours. See the converted barn and studio where various flower, art and craft workshops take place and there is also a café. Freshly cut bunches of seasonal flowers, local produce and gifts for sale.
NEW Chalk Farm Flowers, Roger’s Lane, Findon, Worthing, BN14 0RE
Open Saturday 9th August from 9am to 5pm and Sunday 10th August 10am to 4pm with entry £6. Pre-booking essential, please visit www.ngs.org.uk
Tours and talks of this sustainable working flower farm, run by two young horticulturalists with a passion for the environment. They are on a mission to spread the word about British grown flowers. A wide range of flowers are grown across a 1 acre site. Fresh, chemical free bunches of flowers available to buy. Enjoy refreshments with a view of the flower field. Wheelchair access over gentle slopes and, wide grassy and bark paths alongside flower farm growing beds.
NEW The Beeches Haslemere, Square Drive, Haslemere, GU27 3LW
Open Sunday 24th August 1pm to 5.30pm with combined entry with Shalford House, £8.
A three-acre, informal garden, linked to an attached 5-acre wood. See curving flower borders adjoining the lawns to the front of the house with meandering gravel paths. To the rear, Mediterranean planting, low circular hedging and stone fountain. The hard landscaping at the back of the house melds into woodland softened with ferns, hostas and tree ferns.
New Shalford House, Square Drive, Kingsley Green, GU27 3LW
Open Sunday 24th August from 1pm to 5.30pm with combined entry with The Beeches £8
A garden designer and plantsman’s garden, set in 40 acres, with 10 acres of well-maintained gardens created over 30 years. The garden features various herbaceous borders, ponds, a waterfall lake, and a 120-metre rill. See the walled garden with large Alitex greenhouse and interesting plants including acers, hostas, Cornus kousa and hydrangeas, all within a beautiful setting. A further 30 acres with arboretum and lake is perfect for picnics.
We hope you can get out and visit some of these beautiful gardens. If you’ve enjoyed this post about August NGS Sussex Gardens, you may also like:
