In and around West Sussex

Looking south east, towards the house on a summer day, from the Concave, at Petworth House and Park

A place of iconic coastline, gardens, literary greats, rolling South Downs, vast art collections and a castle.

Places to visit

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Where you can visit 

We're starting to reopen some National Trust gardens and parks, as well as car parks, in line with government guidance. You will need to book your visit in advance. In Sussex this week you can book visits to Batemen's, Bodiam Castle, Nymans, Petworth, Sheffield Park and Garden and Uppark. We'll be opening new places when we can, so check back each week. Scroll down to find out more about these places.

Find out what to expect and how to book
Standen in the summer image

Standen House and Garden 

Wander around the Arts & Crafts garden at Standen and find the plants that inspired the famous patterns by Morris and Co.

Middle Lake at Sheffield Park and Garden, East Sussex

Sheffield Park and Garden 

Acres of landscape garden bordered by historic parkland and woodland await at Sheffield Park and Garden

The rose garden in June at Nymans, West Sussex

Nymans 

Nymans is well known for its vibrant, flamboyant mixture of flowers annuals, trees and shrubs that fill every nook and cranny with colour.

Nymans
Enjoy breathtaking views towards the South Downs

Petworth Park and Pleasure Ground 

Explore the historic parkland at Petworth with its majestic views. Wander in the footsteps of artists and in the Pleasure Grounds.

The gardens at Uppark, West Sussex

Uppark 

Perched on a vantage point high on the South Downs ridge, Uppark has far reaching views and intimate gardens.

Virtual tour

Purple wisteria flowers in bloom on a sunny day
Hawthorn blossom
Common Blue Butterfly
Rhododendrons in May at Sheffield Park by the lake

Wisteria

Behind the scenes at Nymans the wisterias form a magnificent spectacle and their scent fills the air.

Hawthorn

Hawthorn was famously known as the May-Tree or may-blossom as it usually flowers in May, and once played a large part in May Day festivities. It can be seen flowering in hedges and woodlands in spring.

Common blues

This is the commonest blue found in the British Isles. While the male has bright blue uppersides, the female is mainly brown with some blue markings. Caterpillars hatch from eggs to feed on bird’s foot trefoil plants.

Rhododendrons

Sheffield Park and Garden is a blaze of colour, behind the scenes, as the 1,000 spectacular rhododendrons come into bloom between mid-May and early June.

Cattle on a misty morning in June on the Shugborough Estate, Staffordshire

Dawns to brighten your day 

Wake up with the birds and make the most of those extra hours of morning daylight. Whether it’s learning how to identify birdsong or watching how the golden hour transforms the appearance of your street, there’s plenty of reasons to fall in love with the morning again.

The herb garden at Llanerchaeron

Gardening tips: From our garden to yours 

While we're all staying at home, for many of us our thoughts turn to gardening. This week we're thinking about the herbs that you can grow easily whether you have a garden, a patio or a windowsill.

The view of river meadows at Woolbeding parkland

Summer wildlife on the South Downs 

Summer is a perfect time to take a stroll and discover all the natural wonders the South Downs has to offer.

'Petworth Beauty' in the conservation studio

Paintings of 'Petworth Beauties' have their legs restored 

Two paintings of the 'Petworth Beauties' have had their legs restored 200 years after the 3rd Earl ordered them to be cut off. They appeared in the British Baroque exhibition at Tate Britain.