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Nymans Garden, West Sussex

Nymans is a fascinating garden created in 1890 by Ludwig Messel. It was subsequently extended by the next two generations of the family. The garden very much reflects the world of the late nineteenth century. In 1872 Jules Verne had written Around The World In Eighty Days, describing a world where travel was much easier than it had ever been. Collectors were now travelling the world, bringing back seeds and plants to place in British gardens. There was quite a craze at this time for plants of the Far East, and at Nymans there are many plants from this part of the world. It is a strange irony, to create a garden as a place of peace and refuge, and use within it exotic plants which speak of unseen, faraway places. Perhaps our desire for security is only equaled by our desire for escape and excitement.

 

The ruined house

The garden also reflects modern trends in its use of garden "rooms". I like to think back to the Tudor world where gardens were designed to shut nature out, to create a place of refuge. Now we bring nature into our place of refuge, creating rooms in gardens, as if they existed within a house. Sometimes this idea is taken even further and the ruined rooms of an actual building are included in the design of a garden. This has been done at Nymans, where a part of the house damaged by fire in 1947 has been incorporated into the garden itself.

Nymans Garden has a tearoom and a shop. There are quizzes for the children.

 

 

Opening Times: for the garden are Wednesday to Sundays. From 2nd February to 16th March 10am - 4pm. From 19th March to 2nd November 10am - 5pm and from 5th November to 31st January 2009 10am - 4pm. The house is open 19th March to 2nd November, 11am - 4pm, Wednesday to Sunday. Last admission to house 3.45pm.

Please note Nymans is a very popular attraction. Entrance may be restricted in the summer months if the garden is too full. We would advise you to go early. When we visited the queue for the carpark stretched quite a long way down the B2114.

Directions: Nymans is at Handcross in West Sussex, on the B2114 just off the M23/A23. Click here for an interactive road and satellite map centred on Nymans.

Access: there are some slopes and difficult areas in the garden, but a wheelchair friendly route map is available on request. Braille guides, tactile maps, and audio guides are also available.

Contact:

telephone: 01444 405250

e-mail: nymans@nationaltrust.org.uk

web site http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/main/w-vh/w-visits/w-findaplace/w-nymansgarden.htm