Summer gardens in and around the South Downs

With the long, refreshing days of summer to look forward to, it’s time to make the most of nature – and what better way to celebrate nature’s delights than with a visit to a garden in the South Downs. The Capability Brown landscapes at Sheffield Park and Petworth, contemporary garden at Woolbeding and charming cottage garden at Alfriston Clergy House are all yours to explore.

Woolbeding Gardens

Discover delights at every turn with distinctive garden rooms set against thoughtfully composed borders. Formal gardens merge into the rural landscape of the River Rother, a perfect backdrop for the many sculptures and follies. A masterpiece of colour and design, you’ll lose hours exploring this carefully cultivated garden.

Discover a garden of design

Alfriston Clergy House

The garden at the Clergy House has been designed and developed within the principals of the Arts and Crafts cottage garden style, and contains many plants at their best in the summer months.

Floral summer highlights

The rotunda built in 1766 and daffodils in the park at Petworth House — ©National Trust Images/John Miller

Petworth West Sussex

Petworth

The majestic 700-acre park at Petworth is one of the finest surviving unspoilt examples of an English landscape designed by Lancelot ‘Capability’ Brown. Explore this historic park wandering in the footsteps of artists, encountering herds of deer and sweeping away cobwebs with our walking trails.

Find a spot to stop and admire

Pink roses growing up the side of a greenhouse — Hinton's heavily scented roses flower well into August

Roses all summer at Hinton Ampner

Over 90 varieties of rose burst in bloom between June and August at Hinton Ampner. A highly scented collection, many are repeat flowering, giving delicious fragrance and colour well into August: Look out for 100 ‘A Whiter Shade of Pale’ roses near the pond - Head Gardener John Wood's favourite.

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Hinton Ampner

Exotically-coloured dahlias are beginning to create dramatic impact across the gardens, in hot oranges and reds, pretty pinks and yellows. New for this summer is eye-catching stripey-pink Mystic Dreamer in the sunken garden. In the walled garden, sweetpeas are creating a riot of colour, mingling with salads, fruit and veg – all destined for the kitchen.

Summer splendour at Hinton Ampner