Great Gardens of Sussex
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The ruins from the Main Lawn in April at Nymans, West Sussex. The house was destroyed by fire in 1947, and only the north-east end rebuilt. © National Trust images David Levenson
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Bluebell Railway - Sheffield Park Railway Station
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West Dean Gardens Victorian glasshouse in Walled Garden ©West Dean Gardens
In this great gardens tour we’ve brought together many of Sussex’s best privately owned and National Trust gardens. These include Nymans Garden, Borde Hill Garden, Follers Manor and also West Dean Gardens. Nymans Garden is regarded as one of the National Trust’s finest gardens with plants form all over the world. Furthermore, the Borde Hill Garden has one of the finest collections of shrubs in the country. For your added enjoyment we have also included a ride on the Bluebell Railway and a visit to historic Chichester. The Bluebell Railway is one of the first preserved heritage lines in the country, with one of the finest collections of vintage steam locomotives.
Dates
6th April, 4th May, 27th July, 10th August - all 2020
Suggested Excursions
Day 1
Travel to your hotel.
Day 2
Nymans House and Borde Hill Garden.
We start our gardens discovery with a visit to Nymans Garden near Crawley, generally regarded as one of the National Trust’s finest gardens, with plants collected from around the world. Borde Hill Garden, one of the most stunning gardens in southern England, has one of the finest collections of shrubs, roses and trees in the country.
Day 3
The Bluebell Railway and Follers Manor Garden.
This morning we start with a ride on the delightful steam-hauled Bluebell Railway which was one of the first preserved heritage lines in the country commencing train services in August 1960. As a result they have one of the finest collections of vintage steam locomotives and carriages many of which were preserved straight out of service from British Railways. Our final visit for the day is somewhere rather special. Follers Manor Garden is a privately-owned garden that didn’t exist before 2006. Since then the garden has appeared many times on TV, and has won numerous awards for its stunning landscaping (open Wednesday only).
Day 4
West Dean Garden and Chichester.
Today we head towards Chichester to visit one of the greatest restored gardens in Britain. West Dean Garden boasts a 300-feet pergola and 13 working Victorian Glasshouses. In the afternoon we visit the historical cathedral city of Chichester. It is the only city in West Sussex and is its county town. It has a long history as a settlement from Roman times and was important in Anglo-Saxon times.
Day 5
Travel home.
Suggested Hotels – Inspected by Greatdays staff in July 2019
Old Ship Hotel ****
Situated on Brighton’s seafront, this 154 bedroom hotel is situated a short walk from the town centre. There are two lifts at the hotel, some rooms have a few stairs to access them. Coach parking is available nearby (chargeable).
Jury’s Inn Brighton Seafront ****
Ideally located on the waterfront in Brighton, this bright and airy hotel is perfect for those who want the hustle and bustle of the city along with a great seafront location. There are 209 bedrooms, leisure facilities, and a lift to all floors. Coach parking is available nearby (chargeable).
Option: the choice of gardens included in this itinerary can be amended to suit specific requirements.
| 5 Days | |
| 2020 dates | from £326.00 per person |
| 2021 dates | from £329.00 per person |
