Sussex Gardens: From High Weald to Coast
Sussex isn’t traditionally seen as a garden county like Cornwall or the Cotswolds, but that’s part of its charm. The county’s gardens are often less famous but equally spectacular – intimate, personal, and rooted in the landscape. From Capability Brown’s grand landscapes at Petworth to the intimate cottage gardens of the High Weald, from coastal gardens shaped by salt and wind to the exotic possibilities of the South Downs, Sussex offers a surprising diversity of horticultural excellence.
The Heavy Hitters
Petworth House and Park
One of England’s great landscape gardens, designed by Capability Brown. The 700-acre park was transformed from formal gardens into a naturalistic landscape in the 18th century, and Brown’s work is considered one of his finest achievements.
What you’ll see: Sweeping parkland, lake (created by Brown), woodland, and distant views across the Sussex countryside. The house itself contains a remarkable art collection including works by Turner, Van Dyck, and Gainsborough.
The Pleasure Grounds: More intimate gardens close to the house – the Rose Garden, the Dell with its ferns and moisture-loving plants, and the Victorian fernery. These contrast with Brown’s sweeping landscape and show different gardening eras.
Planning: Allow 3-4 hours. The park is free to walk; the house and pleasure gardens require tickets. Petworth town has good cafés and a market (first Saturday of the month).
Sheffield Park and Garden
A different landscape tradition – 18th-century designed gardens rather than parkland. The gardens were laid out by Capability Brown and later Humphry Repton, then refined by Victorian gardeners.
What makes it special: Four lakes form the spine of the garden, connected by cascades and bridges. The planting around the lakes creates spectacular autumn colour – Japanese maples, acers, and trees selected for their seasonal interest.
Seasonal highlights:
- Spring – Magnolias, camellias, rhododendrons
- Summer – Water lilies on the lakes
- Autumn – Spectacular colour – one of the best displays in southern England
- Winter – Structural beauty, dramatic reflections
Practical: Allow 2-3 hours. The paths are well-maintained and relatively flat, making this accessible. Good café on site.
Nymans
One of England’s most famous gardens, and for good reason. This is a romantic, exotic garden created by the Messel family in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
What makes it special: Nymans pioneered the concept of gardening with exotics on a grand scale – Chinese magnolias, Himalayan rhododendrons, South African bulbs. The garden’s structure – a series of “rooms” each with its own character – was innovative and influential.
Don’t miss: The Rock Garden (spectacular in spring), the Walled Garden (roses, perennials, vegetables), the Long Border (one of England’s finest herbaceous borders), and the Pinetum (conifers from around the world).
The ruins: The house was largely destroyed by fire in 1947, leaving romantic ruins incorporated into the garden. The contrast between dramatic ruins and lush planting is striking.
Planning: Allow 3-4 hours. Can get very busy in summer – go early or late in the day. Excellent café.
The Hidden Gems
Great Dixter
The garden created by Christopher Lloyd, one of Britain’s most influential gardeners of the 20th century. This is a gardener’s garden – experimental, personal, and constantly evolving.
What makes it special: Christopher Lloyd broke with tradition by mixing exotic plants with traditional herbaceous borders, creating bold, dramatic combinations. His successors continue his tradition of experimentation.
Key features: The Long Border (bold, colourful planting), the Exotic Garden (tender perennials and shrubs), the Topiary Garden (clipped shapes), and the Sunk Garden (formal planting in a sheltered setting).
The house: Medieval and Arts & Crafts, designed by Edwin Lutyens. While the garden is the draw, the house is fascinating and worth the extra time.
Practical: Allow 2-3 hours. This is serious garden design – come if you’re interested in plants and garden philosophy. Limited facilities but there are pubs in nearby Northiam.
Borde Hill
A Grade II listed garden created in the late 19th century by Colonel Stephenson Clarke. Less famous than Nymans but equally impressive in its own way.
What makes it special: Borde Hill is known for its rare trees and shrubs – Colonel Clarke sponsored plant hunters and introduced species to Britain. The garden has one of the country’s finest collections of champion trees (the tallest or largest of their species).
Garden rooms: The Azalea Ring, the Italian Garden, the Rose Garden, the Paradise Garden. Each has its own character, showing different aspects of garden design.
Parkland: 200 acres of parkland with spectacular trees and lakes. You can combine garden visits with countryside walks.
Practical: Allow 2-3 hours. Good café on site. The garden is part of a larger estate – explore if you have time.
Parham Park
Elizabethan house with walled gardens that are among the finest in England. The gardens have been consistently maintained since the 18th century.
What makes it special: The four-acre walled garden is a classic example of English walled garden design – productive vegetable beds, ornamental borders, an orchard, and a Victorian greenhouse. The formality contrasts beautifully with the surrounding Sussex countryside.
The Pleasure Grounds: Beyond the walled garden, pleasure grounds with specimen trees, a lake, and views across the Sussex Downs. The mix of formal and informal is characteristic of English garden design.
Practical: Allow 2 hours for the gardens, more for the house. The house tours are excellent but book ahead.
Coastal and Downland Gardens
Wakehurst Place
Not in Sussex exactly (it’s in West Sussex, just across the county line), but close enough to be essential for any Sussex garden tour. Managed by Kew, this is England’s premier botanic garden outside London.
What makes it special: The Millennium Seed Bank – the world’s largest wild plant seed bank. You can see the labs and learn about this crucial conservation work.
The gardens: 500 acres of spectacular gardens including the Elizabethan garden, the winter garden, the Mansion Garden, and extensive woodlands. This is a serious botanical garden rather than a pretty ornamental garden.
Practical: Allow a full day. This is large – wear comfortable shoes. Good cafés, lots of walking.
Sussex Prairies
A modern garden that’s doing something different – a six-acre prairie garden inspired by American prairies. Masses of grasses, perennials, and bulbs planted in drifts, creating naturalistic, spectacular effects.
What makes it special: This is contemporary garden design at its best – dramatic, sustainable, and beautiful. The garden changes through the seasons, but autumn is particularly spectacular when grasses turn golden.
Practical: Open limited days – check ahead. Allow 1-2 hours. Very different from traditional English gardens but essential for understanding contemporary design.
The Landscape Context
The High Weald
Much of Sussex falls within the High Weald Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty – a landscape of ancient woodlands, fields, and hedges. The gardens here are shaped by this context – they don’t stand alone but connect to the surrounding countryside.
What this means for gardeners: The High Weald’s acidic soils support rhododendrons, azaleas, and camellias. The woodlands provide shelter for more tender plants. The gentle terrain allows for long views and vistas.
The South Downs
The chalk hills of the South Downs create different conditions – alkaline soils, exposure to wind, and spectacular views. Gardens here are shaped by these constraints – more shelter, different plant selections, and gardens that embrace rather than fight the downs.
The Coast
Sussex’s coastal gardens face salt spray, strong winds, and sandy, free-draining soils. The gardens at places like Bodiam Castle (though primarily about the castle) and various private gardens show how gardeners work with these challenges.
Practical Planning
Timing Your Visit
Spring (March-May): Best for rhododendrons, magnolias, camellias, and early herbaceous displays. Weather can be unpredictable but generally good.
Summer (June-August): Peak season – roses, perennials, water features. Busy but spectacular. Go early or late to avoid crowds.
Autumn (September-November): Spectacular colour – acers, maples, and deciduous trees. One of the best seasons for Sussex gardens. Weather often good.
Winter (December-February): Structural beauty, winter interest, snowdrops, hellebores. Some gardens close or reduce hours – check ahead.
Getting Around
Car is ideal – gardens are spread out across the county. Parking is generally available but can be limited at popular gardens in peak season.
Train – Several gardens are accessible by train with walks: Sheffield Park (from Haywards Heath), Great Dixter (from Northiam), Wakehurst Place (from Haywards Heath).
Bus – Limited public transport connections to gardens – check individual garden websites.
Duration
One garden: A full day if you’re serious about gardens, half-day if you’re just visiting.
Multiple gardens: You can visit 2-3 gardens in a day if you’re selective, but Sussex deserves time. A weekend allows 4-5 gardens.
Where to Stay
Haywards Heath – Good base for Sheffield Park, Wakehurst Place, and other central Sussex gardens.
Lewes – Historic town with good accommodation, easy access to Downs and High Weald gardens.
Rye – Coastal town with character, good for High Weald gardens.
Tunbridge Wells – Just outside Sussex but a good base for western Sussex gardens.
Beyond the Gardens
Sussex’s Historic Houses
Many gardens are attached to historic houses – Petworth, Parham, Bodiam Castle. Combining house and garden visits gives a complete picture.
The South Downs
The South Downs National Park is on Sussex’s doorstep – excellent walking, spectacular views, and wildflower-rich downland. After visiting formal gardens, the downs show nature’s own gardening.
The Coast
Sussex’s coast offers a different landscape entirely – Beachy Head, Seven Sisters, and the beaches at Brighton, Eastbourne, and Hastings. Gardens, countryside, and coast in one county.
The Sussex Approach
What makes Sussex gardens special is their connection to place. Unlike some grand gardens that feel disconnected from their surroundings, Sussex gardens grow out of the landscape – the soils, the climate, the view lines. This creates gardens that feel authentic and rooted rather than imposed.
The variety is extraordinary – from Capability Brown’s naturalistic landscapes to intimate cottage gardens, from exotic plant collections to contemporary prairie designs. What unites them is quality and a sense of place. These aren’t show gardens but gardens that grow naturally from their context.
Final Thoughts
Sussex offers some of England’s finest gardens without the crowds of more famous gardening counties. The quality is exceptional, the variety is extraordinary, and the connection to landscape creates gardens that feel authentic and rooted.
Whether you’re a serious gardener looking for inspiration, a plant lover seeking rare specimens, or someone who just enjoys beautiful places, Sussex delivers. The combination of grand landscapes and intimate gardens, historic design and contemporary experimentation, means there’s something for every taste.
Come for the gardens, stay for the landscape, and leave with a deeper appreciation of what makes Sussex such a special gardening county.