Daffodils offer a wonderful sunny face to the world and help lift our spirits as spring arrives. Many West Sussex National Garden Scheme gardens have hosts of daffodils, some in drifts, some scattered among orchards or in borders, beds and pots. Here’s a taster of what’s in store in 2026.
Thanks to the generosity of garden owners, volunteers and visitors The National Garden Scheme have donated over £77.8 million to nursing and health charities and in 2025 made an annual donation of over £3.8 million. The core beneficiaries include Carers Trust, Macmillan Cancer Support, Marie Curie, Hospice UK, Parkinson’s UK and The Queen’s Institute of Community Nursing. The National Garden Scheme doesn’t just open beautiful gardens for charity – they are passionate about the physical and mental health benefits of gardens too. They also support charities doing amazing work in gardens and health and grant bursaries to help community gardening projects.
Eleven beautiful West Sussex NGS gardens will be opening their gates for charity this April:
The Old Vicarage The Street, Washington, RH20 4AS
findagarden.ngs.org.uk/garden/21793/the-old-vicarage
A truly creative garden, nurtured over 35 years to become a visitor favourite. Spanning over 3 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.
Opens every Thur 5th Feb to 1st Oct (10am-4pm). 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. Also open Mon 6th Apr, Mon 31st Aug (10am-5pm). Adm £10, chd free. Home-made teas. Purchase ticket in advance or at the gate on the day. Visits also by arrangement 16th Mar to 1st Oct for groups of 10 to 30. No private group visits on Thursdays.
Peelers Retreat 70 Ford Road, Arundel, BN18 9EX
findagarden.ngs.org.uk/garden/23227/peelers-retreat
This inspirational space is a delight with permanent gazebos and comfortable seating to sit and relax, enjoying delicious teas. When cold we light the fire for our guests. Interlocking beds packed with year-round colour and scent, shaded by specimen trees, inventive water features and a range of quirky woodland sculptures.
Opens Sat 4th, Sat 18th, Tue 28th Apr, Sat 23rd, Tue 26th May, Tue 2nd, Sat 6th, Tue 16th June, Tue 7th, Sat 11th, Tue 21st July (2-5). Adm £5, chd free. Home- made teas. Refreshments in aid of Chestnut Tree House children’s hospice.
Rymans Appledram Lane South, Apuldram, Chichester, PO20 7EG
findagarden.ngs.org.uk/garden/4769/rymans
Walled and other gardens surround a C15 stone house (not open). Featuring bulbs, flowering shrubs, roses, ponds, a potager, and many unusual and rare trees and shrubs. In late spring, the wisterias are spectacular. Hybrid musk roses fill the walled garden in June, and in late summer, the garden is filled with dahlias, sedums, late roses, sages, and Japanese anemones.
Opens Sat 11th, Sun 12th Apr, Sun 14th June, Sun 13th Sept (2-5). Adm £8, chd free. Refreshments in aid of St Mary’s Church, Apuldram. Visits also by arrangement 11th Apr to 25th Sept for groups of 10 to 30
Chalk Farm Flowers Rogers Lane, Findon, Worthing, BN14 0RE
findagarden.ngs.org.uk/garden/47189/chalk-farm-flowers
A sustainable working flower farm, run by two young horticulturalists with a passion for the environment. Our mission is to spread the word about British-grown flowers and share our story with visitors. We grow a wide range of flowers across a 1 acre site, where fresh, chemical-free bunches are available. You can also enjoy refreshments with a beautiful view of the flower field. Wheelchair access over gentle slopes and wide grassy and bark paths alongside the flower farm growing beds.
Opens Sat 18th Apr (9-5.30); Sun 19th Apr (10-4.30); Sat 8th Aug (9-5.30); Sun 9th Aug (10-4.30). Adm £6, chd free. Pre-booking essential, please visit www.ngs.org. uk for information & booking. Light refreshments.
Fittleworth House Bedham Lane, Fittleworth, Pulborough, RH20 1JH
findagarden.ngs.org.uk/garden/14546/fittleworth-house
A tranquil, romantic 3-acre country garden with a redesigned walled kitchen garden growing fruit, vegetables, and flowers, including a large collection of dahlias. A large glasshouse, an old potting shed, mixed flower borders, roses, rhododendrons, and lawns. A magnificent cedar tree overlooks the wisteria- covered, Grade II listed Georgian house (not open). A wild garden with long grass and a 70-metre naturalised stream with ferns and hydrangeas. Featured in The English Garden (Dec 2024) and Gardens Illustrated (April 2025) magazines. The garden sits on a gentle slope but is mostly accessible for wheelchairs and buggies.
Opens for NGS every Wed 22nd Apr to 13th May, 22nd July to 5th Aug (2-5). Adm £6, chd free. Home-made teas. Refreshments in aid of Cruse Bereavement Support. Visits also by arrangement 23rd Apr to 6th Aug for groups of 5 to 40. Parking for a coach available.
NEW 53 Cedar Drive Chichester, PO19 3EH
findagarden.ngs.org.uk/garden/48728/53-cedar-drive
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
51 Carlisle Road design.
Opens Sat 25, Sun 26 Apr, Sat 18, Sun 19 July (10.30-5). Combined adm with 25 Parklands Road £7, chd free. Tea, coffee & cake.
NEW 25 Parklands Road Chichester, PO19 3DX
findagarden.ngs.org.uk/garden/48595/25_parklands_road
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.
Opens Sat 25th, Sun 26th Apr, Sat 18th, Sun 19th 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.
Manor of Dean Tillington, Petworth, GU28 9AP
findagarden.ngs.org.uk/garden/3616/manor-of-dean
Approx 3 acres of traditional English garden with extensive views of the South Downs. Herbaceous borders, early spring bulbs, bluebell woodland walk, walled kitchen garden with fruit, vegetables and cutting flowers. NB under long term programme of restoration, some parts of the garden may be affected.
Opens Sun 26th Apr (2pm-5pm). Adm £6, chd free. Tea, coffee & cake. Visits also by arrangement to 19th June for groups of 20+.
Newtimber Place, Newtimber, Hassocks BN6 9BU
findagarden.ngs.org.uk/garden/735/newtimber-place
Beautiful C17 moated house (not open). Gardens and woods full of bulbs and wild flowers in spring. Herbaceous border and lawns. Moat flanked by water plants. Mature trees, wild garden, and ducks. Wheelchair access across lawn to parts of garden, tearoom and WC.
Denmans Garden Denmans Lane, Fontwell, BN18 0SU
findagarden.ngs.org.uk/garden/5576/denmans-garden
For other opening times and information, please phone, email or visit garden website. Award-winning Grade II registered tranquil contemporary garden, created by gravel gardening pioneer Joyce Robinson and developed by renowned landscape designer John Brookes MBE. Known for its curvilinear layout and complex planting, features including year-round colour, unusual plants, structure and fragrance in the gravel gardens, dry riverbeds, ponds, walled garden, and conservatory. Plant Nursery with specially selected and unusual shrubs, grasses, ferns, and herbaceous perennials. The Gift Shop has beautifully curated gifts and locally made products. Midpines Café serves breakfast, lunch, and afternoon tea.
Opens for NGS: Mon 27th Apr, Mon 26th Oct (9.30-4). Adm £10, chd £8. Pre-booking essential, please phone 01243 278950, email office@denmans.org or visit www.denmans. org for information & booking. Light refreshments.
Highdown Gardens Highdown Rise, Littlehampton Road, Goring-by- Sea, Worthing, BN12 6FB
findagarden.ngs.org.uk/garden/6351/highdown-gardens
Highdown Gardens were created by Sir Frederick Stern. They are home to rare plants and trees, many grown from seed collected by Wilson, Farrer and Kingdon-Ward. A fully equipped glasshouse enables the propagation of this National Plant Collection. A visitor centre shares stories of the plants and people behind the gardens. An accessible path leads to a sensory garden with a secret sea view. Highdown is also Peony Identification tours on 29 and 30 April, for more information and booking, see garden website. Accessible top pathway and lift to visitor centre, see garden website accessibility page for full details.
Opens for NGS Wed 29th, Thur 30th Apr (10am-7pm). Adm by donation. For other opening times and information, please email or visit garden website.
To learn more about the National Garden Scheme, discover your perfect garden or find out how to open your own garden, visit ngs.org.uk For gardens opening across East and West Sussex, pick up a copy of The National Garden Scheme Sussex Booklet, available free from many local stores, garden centres and libraries and as an online Flip Book galleries.co.uk/NGS/sussex26/
