2-for-1 Gardens in West Sussex

Order our May issue, including 2-for-1 Gardens card and guide, here

Below we explore 10 beautiful West Sussex gardens in the Gardeners’ World 2-for-1 scheme.

More on 2-for-1 gardens around the UK:

• See more about our 2-for-1 gardens to visit
• See more 2-for-1 gardens in the south-east of England

St Mary’s House & Gardens 2-for-1 entry

Complementing the 15th-century timber-framed house are five acres of beautiful gardens. These include a circular English poetry garden in a woodland setting and a topiary garden featuring animal-shaped yew and box shrubs and a colourful parterre. The secret garden features herbaceous borders, an original Victorian fruit wall and pineapple pits. There is also a landscape water garden with an island and waterfall.

• Disabled access: partial
• Dogs: not allowed
• Single visitor discount: no
• Refreshments: light

Visit St Mary’s House & Gardens

Borde Hill Garden

Perched on a ridge just outside Haywards Heath, these famous gardens were created in the early 1900s and filled with trees, shrubs and perennials collected on plant-hunting expeditions to China, the Himalayas and the Andes. Among the greatest treasures are the stunning camellias, rhododendrons and magnolias. Today you can still see many original shrubs and trees adorning the 17 acres of gardens, which glow with colour from spring to autumn. Take your time as you wander through the garden rooms and discover a sub-tropical dell of tree ferns, bamboo and palms, a fragrant rose garden, an Italian garden with lily pool, and the vibrant azalea ring. Sit and enjoy the tranquillity too, and views of the surrounding woodland and High Weald.

• Disabled access: full
• Dogs: allowed on leads
• Single visitor discount: yes
• Refreshments: light and hot food

Visit Borde Hill Garden

Denmans Garden

Mediterranean and exotic plants thrive in this influential contemporary garden, set on a south-facing slope with views of the South Downs. Its curving gravel paths take you through interlinked areas full of year-round colour, structure and exciting plant combinations. Denmans’ most famous design features are the two dry riverbeds that flow down the garden, made from locally sourced pebbles and planted with Sussex natives and other architectural plants and shrubs. These culminate in a beach and informal pond. The gravel gardens, which date from the 1970s, were pioneering for their time, relaxed but well structured, where plants self-seed naturally. By contrast, the walled garden, redesigned in the early 2000s, is a more geometric layout of tropical and fragrant plants.

• Disabled access: full
• Dogs: allowed on leads
• Single visitor discount: yes
• Refreshments: light

Visit Denmans Garden

High Beeches Garden

An outstanding early 20th-century woodland garden and the ideal place for a relaxing walk, High Beeches comprises 27 acres of trees, flowering shrubs, ferns and wildflowers. Naturalistic style, its meandering paths leading you through the undulating landscape of hidden dells, ancient meadows and leafy glades, past ponds and streams, with views across the garden and surrounding High Weald. Of particular note are the glorious rhododendrons, including many rare species, and the willow gentians that have naturalised in the glades, forming a sea of blue in August. The autumn foliage is spectacular too, with a medley of maples, nyssas and liquidambars, and wildlife thrives in this tranquil haven.

• Disabled access: partial
• Dogs: not allowed
• Single visitor discount: no
• Refreshments: light

Visit High Beeches Garden

Leonardslee Lakes & Gardens

Nestled in a deep valley, this dramatic woodland garden extends along a series of seven reflective lakes. Shady paths descend along the valley sides, among majestic trees, flowering shrubs and wildflowers. The many mature trees include champions of vast proportions, important rarities and species from across the world. Towering conifers, mighty oaks, Californian redwoods, eucalyptus trees and vibrant Japanese maples, to name but a few, provide summer shade and contribute to the dazzling array of autumn hues. Colourful and unusual shrubs include rare Chinese rhododendrons, red-leaved pieris, blowsy blue hydrangeas and elegant winter-flowering camellias. Look out too for curious toadstools among the fallen leaves on damp autumn days, an abundance of wildlife, and the long-established colony of Tasmanian wallabies.

• Disabled access: partial
• Dogs: allowed on leads
• Single visitor discount: no
• Refreshments: light

Visit Leonardslee Lakes & Gardens

Nymans

Surrounded by the wooded High Weald, Nymans is a garden for all seasons, with spring blossom and magnolias, sumptuous summer borders, rich autumn foliage and winter’s stark beauty. Laid out around a partially ruined mansion, the informal and formal areas include a rose garden, courtyard, rock garden, winter walk, wisteria-clad pergola and tree-lined avenues, with many beautiful, rare and unusual plants, as well as hidden corners to explore. Borders are woven with fragrant roses and colourful herbaceous treasures, while topiary and clipped hedges provide year-round structure. Venture further, into the woodlands, for a peaceful stroll among the trees, ferns and wildflowers, with views of the lake and plenty of wildlife to spot along the way.

• Disabled access: partial
• Dogs: not allowed
• Single visitor discount: no
• Refreshments: light and hot food

Visit Nymans

Fishbourne Roman Palace & Gardens

Step back in time nearly 2,000 years in this recreated formal Roman garden. Carefully replanted to its original plan, it features box hedging and espalier fruit trees. In the plant display area you’ll find herbs, fruit and vegetables of the period, with explanations of how they were used in cooking, medicine and dyeing. The Roman Garden Museum includes hands-on interactive activities.

• Disabled access: full
• Dogs: not allowed
• Single visitor discount: no
• Refreshments: light and hot food

Visit Fishbourne Roman Palace & Gardens

Sussex Prairie Garden

Open from early summer to autumn, this unique eight-acre garden swirls and sways with free-flowing waves of ornamental grasses and herbaceous perennials, arranged in a series of grand arcs. Bold naturalistic swathes sweep through the beds, providing contrasting textures and forms, in a spectrum of soft muted hues. Pink echinaceas, oriental poppies, golden rudbeckia, pastel cosmos and airy purple Verbena bonariensis flow between fountains of grasses, large and small, soft or sturdy, upright or arching. As summer progresses, architectural seedheads and feathery plumes add to the ever-changing tapestry. Sculptures and artworks are carefully placed among the plants, to contrast or complement, surprise and inspire.

• Disabled access: partial
• Dogs: allowed on leads
• Single visitor discount: yes
• Refreshments: light

Visit Sussex Prairie Gardens

Wakehurst

Discover the woodlands of the world in Kew’s wild botanic garden, from giant Californian redwoods to rare Australian Wollemi pines, South American monkey puzzle to white-stemmed Himalayan birches. The woodlands and meadows are carpeted with wildflowers and full of wildlife, offering shady walks, sunny glades, secluded seats and picturesque views. With over 450 acres to explore, there’s plenty of space for long leisurely strolls and lots to enjoy in every season. Azaleas, rhododendrons and magnolias adorn the landscape in spring and early summer, while autumn foliage lights up the woodlands and reflects in the ponds. There are wetland boardwalks, lush water gardens and a nature reserve, while more formal areas include a fragrant winter garden and a walled garden brimming with colourful sun-lovers.

• Disabled access: partial
• Dogs: not allowed
• Single visitor discount: no
• Refreshments: light and hot food

Visit Wakehurst

West Dean Gardens

Just outside Chichester, these idyllic gardens offer a unique blend of formal elegance and informal charm. Step back to a bygone era when you enter the traditional walled gardens, laid out with immaculate rows of vegetables, trained fruit and colourful cut-flower beds. The 13 Victorian glasshouses are home to chillies, tomatoes, grapevines, peaches and orchids, while the walled fruit garden displays apple trees trained into many classic forms. Head across the lawn to the Edwardian pergola, festooned with climbing roses, honeysuckle and clematis, and edged with ferns and flower-filled borders. The informal spring gardens offer meandering paths to explore, with ornate flint bridges crossing the river, shady trees, a tranquil pond and views of the hillside arboretum.

• Disabled access: partial
• Dogs: allowed on leads
• Single visitor discount: yes
• Refreshments: light and hot food

Visit West Dean Gardens