As we head towards the longest day, Geoff Stonebanks, Publicity Officer for the National Garden Scheme in East & Mid Sussex has teamed up with his colleague, Kate Harrison, in West Sussex to bring us a fabulous selection of beautiful gardens to visit through the month of June. Not only does the month contain the longest day, it is also well known for being the busiest month of the year for open gardens as well, with over 100 individual openings across the county, not to mention all the gardens that open by arrangement. Of those 100, almost 20% represent brand new gardens for 2025. Pick your choice and pop the date in your diary!
(2 new for 2025) SEAFORD GARDENS NORTH, BN25 2UU
Comprising 6 gardens: Sunday 1st June from Midday to 5pm with combined entry £8.
Cosy Cottage, a garden over three levels with ponds, flowers, vegetables, and shrubs. Madehurst, a garden on different levels with mature planting. 5 Clementine Avenue (pictured), a garden over several levels with agave and succulents and great views over the downs. 101 Clementine Avenue, a newly developing garden, beautifully planted to attract wildlife, a wide selection of hardy perennials, ferns, and hostas. The final 2 are both new for 2025, 129 Princess Drive includes ponds, small woodland area, herbaceous borders, covered seating area and colourful seasonal pots. Whitehouse, a large garden and main tea venue for the trail. Mature trees, herbaceous borders, gravel garden, herb bed, fruit cage, raised vegetable plot, plus wild area with apple trees. Plants for sale at Cosy Cottage.
New THE OLD MANOR, The Street, Nutbourne, Pulborough, RH20 2HE
Thursday 5th & Saturday 7th June from Midday to 5pm. Combined entry with Shorts Farm £8.
A Victorian allotment style kitchen garden has been recreated providing year-round vegetables and fruit from strategically placed trees around the house. There are chickens and sometimes bottle-fed orphan lambs in the adjacent small field that abounds with wildflowers in the lower part. Look out for how the tiered levels have been used to provide niches for plants.
New SHORTS FARM, The Street, Nutbourne, Pulborough, RH20 2HE
Thursday 5th & Saturday 7th June from Midday to 5pm. Combined entry with The Old Manor.
Wander through a ½ acre, classic cottage garden set around a C15 house of archaeological interest. See a thatched summerhouse, surrounded by herbaceous borders and lawned areas, separated by beds of perennial planting interspersed with occasional trees. There is a range of colour from early summer into late autumn, with some areas left wild. The garden has become more nature friendly over the years.
BUTLERS FARMHOUSE, Butlers Lane, Herstmonceux, BN27 1QH
Monday 9th and Tuesday 10th June from 2pm to 5pm with entry £5.
Is this one of the quirkiest gardens in Sussex? It might well be, we are certain you will have fun and enjoy the secret jungle garden, Cornish-inspired beach corners, rainbow border, not to mention the poison garden. C16 farmhouse in 6 acres of rural Sussex with the South Downs in the distance; mainly wildflower meadow with an odd orchid. Plants for sale. Picnics welcome.
New 8 RUSHY MEAD, West Broyle, Chichester, PO19 3FW
Saturday 14th and Sunday 15th June from 11am to 4.30pm with entry £5. Prebooking essential.
Created from scratch on a new build development this space has been transformed into a haven for bees, butterflies and birds. From an uninspiring turfed area, it is now full of colour and interest. After attending a garden design course at nearby West Dean College, the owners created their own landscaping and planting plans, and within two years they have seen a remarkable transformation.
New TALMA, 58 Pollards Drive, Horsham, RH13 5HH
Sunday 8th June from 2pm to 6pm with entry £6.
Talma is a beautiful ⅓ acre garden which is in four parts. The front wild garden leads into a pretty cottage style area with small paths and little magical woodland walk. The main lawn has a gazebo and cutting border with a little gate going through to a small shady vegetable plot. Many surprises greet you as you explore this charming oasis.
TOWN PLACE, Ketches Lane, Freshfield, Sheffield Park, RH17 7NR
Sunday 8th, Wednesday 11th, Wednesday 18th, Sunday 22nd and Sunday 29th June from 2pm to 5pm with entry £8.
A stunning 3 acre garden with a growing international reputation for the quality of its design, planting and gardening. Set round a C17 Sussex farmhouse, the garden has over 400 roses, herbaceous borders, herb garden, white garden, topiary inspired by the sculptures of Henry Moore, an 800 yr old oak, potager, and a unique ruined Priory Church and Cloisters in hornbeam. Sorry no refreshments available but picnics welcome.
5 COASTGUARD COTTAGES, Cuckmere Haven, Seaford, BN25 4AR
Saturday 14th and Sunday 15th June from 10am to 5pm with entry £5.
This iconic setting at Coastguard Cottages overlooking the Seven Sisters will be known to many from a distance, but this garden is rarely seen. Nestled on the cliff top in the South Downs National Park with sea views and planted with native plants, poppies, herbs, vegetables and acanthus, it is a perfect setting for the owner’s sculpture and pottery display. An embryonic vegetable plot and beehives contribute to attracting wildlife to the garden.
Geoff’s own garden, Driftwood, is open by arrangement this summer too.
DRIFTWOOD, 4 Marine Drive, Bishopstone, Seaford, BN25 2RS
Visits by arrangement 16th June to 3 August for groups of up to 25. Individuals welcome too with entry £6.
On BBC Gardeners’ World in 2024 Monty Don said ‘when it comes to growing conditions, I don’t think you will find any garden in the land that is more different to Longmeadow than that belonging to Geoff Stonebanks’. The Sunday Times 2024 feature on age-proofing said ‘visit this rejigged award-winning plot now opened up so the lush and varied plantings and theatrical vignettes are easier to appreciate’. Check out the 242 5-star reviews on TripAdvisor, awarded three successive Certificates of Excellence and four successive Travellers Choice Awards. Sorry, no WC.
**Please note, MILFORD PLACE, Wyatts Lane, Horsted Keynes, Haywards Heath, RH17 7AH was scheduled to open on Saturday 14th June but sadly has had to cancel. Please do not go along.**
We hope you enjoy to June visits and look out for more beautiful Sussex gardens opening in July. If you’ve enjoyed this post, you may also like:
