Visit the National Garden Scheme garden at Down Place, South Harting, for a Mothers Day or Easter treat

For a lovely late Mother’s Day or early Easter treat, a visit to the National Garden Scheme garden at Down Place South Harting would be perfect.

Beautiful gardens, panoramic views, wildflower meadows and home-made teas.

The garden at Down Place is set on the South Downs with panoramic views out to the undulating wooded countryside. The garden merges seamlessly into its surrounding landscape with rose and herbaceous borders that have been moulded into the sloping ground. There is a well-stocked vegetable garden and walks shaded by beech trees, which surround the natural wildflower meadow where various native orchids flourish.

The wildflower meadow is covered in natural wild daffodils in April, cowslips in May, and six varieties of wild orchids, plus various other wild flowers from the end of May through to early July.

Down Place opens for the National Garden Scheme on Saturday 25th March and Sunday 26th March. It will also be open on Sunday 11th June and Monday 12th June (1.30-5.30). Admission £5, children free. Home-made teas & cream teas.

The substantial top terrace and borders are accessible to wheelchairs.

Down Place also opens By Arrangement from Mar 2023 to Jul 2023 for groups of between 15 and 99. This means the garden welcomes visitors on pre-agreed dates.Please contact the garden owner to discuss your requirements and arrange a date for a group or bespoke visit.Mrs David Thistleton-Smith [email protected] 01730 825374Down Place South Harting Petersfield, West Sussex GU31 5PN

The National Garden SchemeFounded in 1927 by the Queen’s Nursing Institute to raise funds for community nursing means that gardens, health and community are at the heart of what we do at the National Garden Scheme. Every ticket bought, every garden visited, and every cake and cup of tea savoured translates into millions of pounds in donations not only to some of the UK’s best loved nursing and health charities but to garden charities and community projects too.

In 2022 we made donations of £3.11 million. Beneficiaries include Marie Curie, Macmillan Cancer Support and Parkinson’s UK.

For more information on the work of the National Garden Scheme, to browse other gardens opening in your area or to find out about opening your own garden for the NGS, please visit https://ngs.org.uk. You can now pick up or see online our new Sussex handbook for all garden openings for 2023.

Other gardens opening for The National Garden Scheme on specific dates in March and April include Judy’s Cottage Garden Worthing, Newtimber Place Newtimber, Fittleworth House Pulborough, Manor of Dean Petworth, Downs Place South Harting, Peelers Retreat Arundel, Stanley Farm Liphook, Bignor Park Pulborough, Denmans Garden Fontwell, Warnham Park Horsham and The Hidden Garden a community garden in Selsey.Please visit https://ngs.org.uk for information and booking

Gardens open by arrangement include Black Barn Horsham, Cookscroft Earnley, Champs Hill Coldwaltham, Eastfield Cottage Bosham, Mitchmere Farm Stoughton, Shepherds Cottage Stoughton, Oaklands Farm Shipley, 6 Plantation Rise Worthing and Tuppenny Barn an organic smallholding in Southbourne.Please visit https://ngs.org.uk for information and booking