With the advent of July, we can hope for long, warm days that continue late into the evening, perfect for those of us who enjoy pottering in the garden after work, maybe hosting barbecues, and more importantly, enjoying your beds and borders as they reach their peak. That said, it is the perfect month to go and visit some of the beautiful gardens open for the National Garden Scheme across the county. As always, Geoff Stonebanks, the Publicity Officer for the scheme in East & Mid Sussex, has curated some of the best for readers to get out and visit, along with input from his West Sussex counterpart, Kate Harrison.
Can you take part?
This summer, the National Garden Scheme is inviting us all to be part of their Big British Garden Survey. The aim is to help them map the biodiversity in gardens across Britain. With 2.5 million acres of garden, their role is vital in supporting the wider biodiversity of plants and animals in the UK. By taking part, you can reveal the hidden wildlife in your garden. Gardens are an extraordinary place for wildlife and the scheme is excited to invite you to take part in this new collaboration between the National Garden Scheme and the UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (UKCEH). This project aims to celebrate the role that gardens play in providing space and resources for wildlife and the survey runs until 30 September 2026. Check out the details at www.ngs.org.uk to take part.
This month’s gardens
Let’s take a look at some of the gardens opening now. Sadly, Rose Cottage in Willingdon, scheduled to open on the 5 July, has had to cancel for 2026. Likewise, both Thakeham Place Farm and Cumberland House, which were scheduled to open on the 23 and 26 July, will no longer be able to open either.
Seaford Gardens, 7 gardens located and signed North and South of the A259. BN25 3LL
NB. Not a walking trail. Sunday 5 from midday to 5 pm with combined entry of £8.
Discover seven beautiful gardens across Seaford, each garden offers its own unique charm, with a huge range of different planting styles, making this an interesting group of gardens to visit. Cupani pictured. Enjoy tea, ice cream, plants, and artwork for sale at various gardens. Tickets and maps are available from any participating garden on the day. For full garden descriptions and details, visit www.ngs.org.uk.
Lynwood, Holland Road, Steyning, BN44 3GJ
Sunday 5 and Friday 10 from 1 pm to 5 pm with a combined entry of £8 with Saffrons, below.
A medium sized garden with three distinct areas around an Edwardian house. Recently replanted, the garden features colour-themed mixed borders of perennials and annuals, including flowers for cutting, eating, and scent. Two lawned areas and two pot-filled patios, plus a cedar wood greenhouse where many of the plants are raised from seed.
Saffrons, Holland Road, Steyning, BN44 3GJ
Sunday 5 and Friday 10 from 1 pm to 5 pm with a combined entry of £8 with Lynwood, above.
Planted with an artist’s eye for contrast and complementary colours. Enjoy vibrant late summer flower beds filled with salvias, eryngiums, agapanthus, grasses, and lilies that attract bees and butterflies. A broad lawn is surrounded by borders containing maples, rhododendrons, hydrangeas, and mature trees, interspersed with ferns and grasses. The large fruit cage and vegetable beds comprise the productive area of the garden.
Herstmonceux Castle Estate, Wartling Road, Hailsham, BN27 1RN
Wednesday 22 July from 10 am to 6 pm with entry £12 and children £6.50.
The Herstmonceux Castle Estate has formal gardens, woodland trails, meadows and lakes set around a majestic 15th century moated castle. The gardens and grounds first opened for the NGS in 1927 and will be helping us celebrate 100 years in 2027.
Architectural Plants, Stane Street, North Heath, Pulborough, RH20 1DJ
Sunday 26 from 10 am to 4 pm with entry £15.
Architectural Plants is home to an ensemble of captivating garden spaces designed to inspire you. Explore the Mediterranean lake garden and surrounding bankside walk tended by Head Gardener Colin and his apprentices. Italian cypress, olives, pines, hardy palms, spiky plants, and bamboo grove. The guided tour inc the large Acer house, the greenhouse of exciting and rare exotics, and a specialist Niwaki Production Zone. Prepare to enter exotica. The best cake in Sussex, so we hear. Hourly horticultural tours and some clipping demonstrations.
Winchelsea’s Secret Gardens, Winchelsea, TN36 4EN
Saturday 18 from 11 am to 5 pm with combined entry of £10.
Old favourites return with new owners, and the group expands to thirteen, mostly cottage style gardens large and small. Kings Leap pictured. Set in the historic Cinque Port of Winchelsea with its picturesque townscape and long unspoiled sea and country views. Explore the town with its magnificent church. Check winchelsea.com for the latest information on tours of their famous medieval cellars. Sadly 1 & 2 Barrack Cottages are no longer able to open.
25 Parklands Road, Chichester, PO19 3DX
Saturday 18 and Sunday 19 from 10.30 am to 5 pm with a combined entry with 53 Cedar Drive, below, £7.
Developed from rough grass in 2020, this exuberant gravel garden was created by its artist owner. Contrasting foliage, less common plants, and effervescent flowers linger long. Many plants self-seed, increasing a natural look. This west facing town garden is loosely divided into three sections, with a fine greenhouse housing fascinating cacti and succulents.
53 Cedar Drive, Chichester, PO19 3EH
Saturday 18 and Sunday 19 from 10.30 am to 5 pm with a combined entry with 25 Parklands, above, £7
This garden, behind a 1937 semi plays host to a venerable Bramley. Other trees, such as Tibetan birch and Photinia ‘Red Robin’, were chosen for their colour, which is carried through the seasons by tulips, geum, alstroemeria, dahlias, cannas, roses, and penstemon. Cotinus and heuchera enrich the palette. Hard landscaping and a potting shed, added in 2022, helped to pull the plant collection into a cohesive design.
Wanderdown, 2 Wanderdown Way, Ovingdean, Brighton
Saturday 18 and Sunday 19 from midday to 5 pm with entry £5.
Created almost from scratch six seasons ago, Wanderdown is adjacent to the South Downs National Park with wonderful views of the Downs to the sea. Primarily a coastal chalk garden, the planting reflects the location with cultivated and wild flowers set against a backdrop of subtropical plants and garden sculptures.
Five Oaks Cottage, Petworth, RH20 1HD
Friday 17 and Saturday 18 from 2 pm to 4.30 pm with entry £7. Pre-booking is essential with cash only for teas.
An acre of delicate jungle surrounds an Arts and Crafts style cottage with stunning views of the South Downs. This unconventional garden is designed to encourage maximum wildlife, featuring a knapweed and hogweed meadow on clay that attracts clouds of butterflies, along with two small ponds and plenty of seating. An award-winning, organic garden with a magical atmosphere.
Hollymount, Burnt Oak Road, High Hurstwood, Uckfield, TN22 4AE
Sunday 26 from midday to 5 pm with entry £8.
A beautiful 7 acre garden centred around water. Streams run down the hill, through waterfalls into ponds flanked by luscious planting. A huge variety of plants create interest from May through to October. Thick jungle borders flank the top garden, while the beds further down are filled with rhododendrons, acers, irises, day lilies, and roses. There are pigs, alpacas, chickens, and ducks. The secret garden is a must-see.
Happy garden visiting and look out for the update of gardens opening in August next month too. All the details can be found at www.ngs.org.uk
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