National Garden Scheme - Sussex - 2026 booklet

46 SUSSEX 94 THE OLD VICARAGE B3 The Street, Washington, RH20 4AS. Lady Walters, 07766 761926, meryl.walters@me.com, www. instagram.com/the_old_vicarage_washington. 2 ½ m E of Storrington, 4m W of Steyning. From Washington r’about on A24, take A283 to Steyning. After 500yds, turn R to Washington. Pass Frankland Arms pub, then turn R to St Mary’s Church. Car park available, but no large coaches. Every Thur 5 Feb to 1 Oct (10-4). Adm £10, chd free. Pre-booking essential, please visit www.ngs. org.uk for information & booking. Self service light refreshments on Thurs (cash only) & picnics welcome. Mon 6 Apr, Mon 31 Aug (10-5). Adm £10, chd free. Home-made teas. Purchase ticket in advance or at the gate on the day. Visits also by arrangement 16 Mar to 1 Oct for groups of 10 to 30. No private group visits on Thursdays. A truly creative garden, nurtured over 35 yrs to become a visitor favourite. Spanning 3 ½ acres, it features formal topiary, seasonal borders, a contemporary water sculpture, an Italianate gazebo, specimen and mature trees, a Japanese garden with waterfall and tea house, a large copse with a stream, a stumpery and treehouse, and a kitchen garden with fruit trees. With 4000 tulips and bulbs planted annually, the garden also opens in Feb for snowdrops. WC available. Featured in RHS The Garden magazine, March 2025. Regional Finalist, The English Garden’s The Nation’s Favourite Gardens 2021. Wheelchair access to front garden; rear garden is on a slope. efbc 97 ORCHARD COTTAGE D2 Boars Head Road, Boarshead, Crowborough, TN6 3GR. Jane & Ray Collins, 07910 521573, collinsjane1@hotmail.co.uk. 6m S of Tunbridge Wells, off A26. Turn off A26 signed Boarshead. At T-junction, do not follow SatNav. Instead, turn L down dead end. Orchard Cottage is at the bottom of the hill on LHS. Fri 29, Sat 30, Sun 31 May (10-4). Adm £7, chd free. Tea, coffee & cake. Refreshments in aid of Folly Wildlife Rescue. Visits also by arrangement 1 Apr to 12 June. A mature 1 ½ acre plantaholic’s garden with a large variety of trees, shrubs, perennials, and bulbs, many unusual. Gardened organically, with mainly colour themed beds planted informally. A small woodland, meadow, and deep pond to encourage wildlife, along with a kitchen garden with raised beds. Member of the Hardy Plant Society. Classic cars will be on display on Saturday. Featured in The English Garden magazine (June 2025) and on Alan Titchmarsh’s Love Your Weekend. Access via gravel drive with wide, gently sloping grass paths suitable for wheelchairs and mobility scooters. Drop-off in drive by prior arrangement. efgCbc 25 Parklands Road 95 OLD WELL COTTAGE B3 High Street, Angmering, Littlehampton, BN16 4AG. Mr N Waters. Situated nr Angmering Manor Hotel & almost adjacent to the top of Weavers Hill in the High St. Look for the ‘mushroom’ shape tree! On road parking only, please be mindful of residents. Sun 5 July (11-4). Adm £5, chd free. Tea, coffee & cake. A ⅓ acre walled garden surrounding a C16–C18 cottage (not open) in Angmering Conservation Area. Formal areas, perennial borders and topiary create structure, with splendid holm oak and bay, espalier apple trees and a small kitchen garden. Rich in purples, whites and pinks, this is a harmonious mix of formality, productivity and seasonal colour. bc 96 THE ORCHARD C3 Dyke Lane, Poynings, Brighton, BN45 7AA. Ms Nigs Digby. Take the A281 off the A23 towards Henfield. About 0.6m along, you will see signs for Poynings. Continue into the village & look for signs to the garden. Street parking only. Very short drive to the other garden opening. Thur 11 June (11-5). Combined adm with Woodlands £7, chd free. Pre-booking essential, please visit www.ngs.org. uk for information & booking. Home-made teas. Two hour timed slots at 11am, 1pm & 3pm. Refreshments in aid of Downland Churches & Fulking Hall Appeal & NGS. This is a new garden, planted in autumn 2023 following the completion of a new build on site. At the front, there is soft prairie style planting, while around the back you will find a rambling, informal cottage garden with a cutting bed, soft fruit, vegetables, and a small natural pond. The garden enjoys stunning views of the South Downs. ibc 98 N 25 PARKLANDS ROAD A3 Chichester, PO19 3DX. Mrs Fiona Bell Currie, 07773 529031, fionabellcurrie@gmail.com. From West St to r’about with The Crate & Apple pub on R, continue down Westgate, then turn R into Parklands Rd. Sat 25, Sun 26 Apr, Sat 18, Sun 19 July (10.30-5). Combined adm with 53 Cedar Drive £7, chd free. Tea, coffee & cake. Visits also by arrangement 18 Apr to 7 July for groups of up to 6. 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. gbc