Gardens

Borde Hill, Haywards Heath, RH16 1XP
(15 Minutes from Burgess Hill)

Borde Hill boasts a beautiful formal garden and outstanding views across 200 acres of parkland and woodland. The garden is planted as ‘distinctive rooms’ and was described as ‘One of the country’s truly great gardens’ by Country Life magazine. It also has a nationally important collection of shrubs and champion trees. For more information visit the Borde Hill website.

Leonardslee Lakes and Gardens, Lower Beeding, RH13 6PP
(20 minutes from Burgess Hill)

Leonardslee Lakes and Gardens described has been described as ‘The Finest Woodland Gardens in England. First planted in 1801, the Grade I Listed gardens on the 240-acre estate features outstanding scenery throughout the year and is particularly majestic as it blooms in spring or takes on the glorious colours of autumn. For more information visit the Leonardslee website.

Sheffield Park, near Uckfield, TN22 3QX
(20 minutes from Burgess Hill)

This magnificent landscaped garden was laid out in the 18th century by ‘Capability’ Brown and further developed in the early 20th century. The centrepiece is the original four lakes and the garden colours change dramatically throughout the seasons. Visitors can also explore the South Garden (265 acres) with it’s stunning view across Sussex. For more information visit the National Trust website.

Wakehurst Place, Ardingly, RH17 6TN
(25 minutes from Burgess Hill)

Open throughout the year, Wakehurst is the country estate of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. The varied landscape is of international significance for its beautiful botanic gardens and tree collections, as well as for its science-based plant conservation and research. A feast for the senses, Wakehurst features natural woodland and lakes, formal gardens, an Elizabethan house and the 21st century architecture of Kew’s Millennium Seed Bank. Wakehurst marks an international conservation milestone in 2010, having conserved seeds from ten per cent of the world’s plant species. For more information please visit the Wakehurst website.

The National Garden Scheme

The National Garden Scheme gives visitors unique access to over 3,500 exceptional private gardens in England, Wales, Northern Ireland and the Channel Islands, and raises impressive amounts of money for nursing and health charities through admissions, teas and cake. Booklets available for collection from the Help Point.

High Beeches, Handcross, RH17 6HQ
(20 minutes from Burgess Hill)

High Beeches offers 27 acres of magnificent woodland and water gardens, full of rare, exotic and unusual plants. The Garden is a botanical treasure trove with RHS award winning plants, the national collection of Stewartia Trees and a beautiful natural wildflower meadow. For more information visit the High Beeches website.

Nymans, Handcross, RH17 6EB
(20 minutes from Burgess Hill)

One of the loveliest Gardens of the Sussex Weald with a collection of rare and beautiful plants from all over the world, including breathtaking spring colour in the walled garden, an old fashioned rose garden and glorious summer borders. The romantic ruins of the family mansion, part destroyed by fire in 1947 can be seen and five of the remaining Messel family rooms are open. The wider estate offers woodland walks and a wild garden. For more information visit the National Trust website.

Sussex Prairies, near Henfield, BN5 9AT
(less than 20 minutes from Burgess Hill)

Featured on BBC Gardener’s World and crammed with colour, this eight-acre garden features huge boarders interlaced with small pathways allowing the visitor to get right inside the planting. The cafe serves teas, coffees and delicious home baking. Unusual plants for sale. The garden is open from June to October but the opening hours do vary so please visit the Sussex Prairies website before you plan your trip.

RHS Wisley
(1.5 hours from Burgess Hill)

Wisley is the flagship garden of the RHS and one of the UK’s most visited and best-loved gardens, attracting around one million visitors each year. Some 75 garden staff, 25 students, four apprentices and 100 volunteers help make a day at Wisley an amazing experience for our visitors. The garden has expanded hugely over the years to its current size of 97ha (240 acres). If you can’t cover everything in a day, why not become a member and enjoy as many visits as you like. Please visit the RHS Wisley webpage for more information.

(Every care has been taken in preparing this information, but you are advised to check the details with the organisations concerned to avoid any possible disappointment. None of these firms have been inspected by Burgess Hill Town Council and no recommendation is intended. Distances have been calculated using the AA Route Planner).