Borde Hill Garden near Hayward’s Heath in West Sussex has been able to open its gates to the public once more, now that many of the restrictions surrounding the coronavirus pandemic have been lifted.

 

And the timing couldn’t be better as the whole Garden is looking fabulous at the moment, especially the famous Rose Garden. It’s a delightful mix of formal and informal, with rose beds featuring a total of 750 roses in 100 different varieties bordered by box and lavender, red brick paths, and high yew walls, with highlight plantings on obelisks and trellises. The roses are at their very best at this time of year and the air is filled with the heady scent of them. Stand-out varieties include Gertrude Jekyll, Winchester Cathedral and Graham Thomas, alongside Olivia Rose Austin, Lady Emma Hamilton, Darcy Bussell, Lady of Shalott and the gorgeous Munstead Wood. 2020 marks the garden’s 55th anniversary as a charity and new roses were planted to celebrate at the end of last year, so the Garden now also showcases delights such as Queen of Sweden, Vanessa Bell and The Poet's Wife.

As many visitors are bound to be inspired by the wonderful display, Head Gardener Andy Stevens has put together a useful sheet of rose-care tips that they can take away with them after their visit too.

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Also looking gorgeous just now is the Italian Garden, a delightfully formal space defined by York paving slabs, neatly edged borders and fine terracotta pots surrounding a rectangular pool.  The kinetic sculpture ‘Aqua Poise’ by Angela Conner adds contemporary interest, and from this part of the Garden there are wonderful views over the Sussex parkland.

If the weather stays hot, there’s no shortage of shady places to sit and take a break thanks to the plethora of exotic and native trees to be found all around the Garden. The delightful Gardeners’ Retreat Café is open too, offering a takeaway service for picnics, along with barista coffee and cream teas.

 

Visitors need to pre-book tickets for their visit as the number available each day is being limited to ensure social distancing is possible at all times. To book, visit www.bordehill.co.uk/bookyourvisit/