Sussex

<p>Thanks Diane &#8211; great idea. We love an open garden! x</p>


<p>As well as the above gardens go onto The National Garden Scheme website as they are promoting gardens in Sussex open under their Snowdrop Festival<br />
<a href="https://ngs.org.uk/find-a-garden/snowdrop-gardens/#South-East" rel="nofollow ugc">https://ngs.org.uk/find-a-garden/snowdrop-gardens/#South-East</a></p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="1500" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/sussex/wp-content/uploads/sites/11/2026/01/crocuses.jpg" alt="Crocuses in bloom" class="wp-image-83508" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/sussex/wp-content/uploads/sites/11/2026/01/crocuses.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/sussex/wp-content/uploads/sites/11/2026/01/crocuses-533x800.jpg 533w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/sussex/wp-content/uploads/sites/11/2026/01/crocuses-667x1000.jpg 667w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/sussex/wp-content/uploads/sites/11/2026/01/crocuses-768x1152.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<p>Yes, it&#8217;s still parky out and we won&#8217;t be packing our woollens away anytime soon, but bold bulbs are bursting into bloom across the county. Snowdrops, daffodils, crocuses – as well as the promise that spring really is stirring, their bright colours provide a natural dopamine hit. </p>



<p>Now is the perfect time to catch these annual sources of uplift and poetic inspiration, framed beautifully by woodland scenes, sweeping parklands and gorgeous gardens throughout Sussex. Here are some of the prettiest places to get your hit of flower power. </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-petworth-park-petworth"><a href="https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/petworth-house-and-park/features/winter-in-the-outdoors-at-petworth" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Petworth Park</a>, Petworth</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="1000" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/sussex/wp-content/uploads/sites/11/2026/01/Petworth.jpg" alt="Snowdrops at Petworth, Sussex" class="wp-image-83067" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/sussex/wp-content/uploads/sites/11/2026/01/Petworth.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/sussex/wp-content/uploads/sites/11/2026/01/Petworth-800x800.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/sussex/wp-content/uploads/sites/11/2026/01/Petworth-400x400.jpg 400w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/sussex/wp-content/uploads/sites/11/2026/01/Petworth-768x768.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/sussex/wp-content/uploads/sites/11/2026/01/Petworth-500x500.jpg 500w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Petworth</figcaption></figure>



<p>The gardens and grounds at Petworth Park are a visual treat year-round and winter&#8217;s no exception. Carpets of snowdrops spring up all over the Pleasure Grounds, guaranteed to raise a smile. While you&#8217;re there, look out for the herd of fallow deer that roam the park, and bright red dogwood bringing colour to the slowly stirring landscape. Don&#8217;t leave without having a nose around the <a href="https://sussex.muddystilettos.co.uk/things-to-do/guide-what-to-do-petworth-west-sussex/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">town</a>, either. </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-manor-of-dean-tillington"><a href="https://findagarden.ngs.org.uk/garden/3616/manor-of-dean" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Manor of Dean</a>, Tillington</h2>



<p>If you&#8217;re over Petworth way on the afternoon of <strong>22 Mar</strong>, think about doubling up with a trip to nearby Manor of Dean. It&#8217;s one of several private gardens that, thanks to the National Gardens Scheme (NGS) opens to the public when the snowdrops burst into bloom. Covering some 3 acres, its snowdrop bulbs will be followed by bluebells, and the walled kitchen garden and herbaceous borders should be full of inspiration later on in the year. </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-nymans-near-haywards-heath"><a href="https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/nymans" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nymans</a>, near Haywards Heath</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="1500" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/sussex/wp-content/uploads/sites/11/2026/01/magnolia_sun.jpg" alt="Magnolias in bloom" class="wp-image-83510" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/sussex/wp-content/uploads/sites/11/2026/01/magnolia_sun.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/sussex/wp-content/uploads/sites/11/2026/01/magnolia_sun-533x800.jpg 533w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/sussex/wp-content/uploads/sites/11/2026/01/magnolia_sun-667x1000.jpg 667w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/sussex/wp-content/uploads/sites/11/2026/01/magnolia_sun-768x1152.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<p>More than 1,000 snowdrop bulbs have been planted around this gorgeous garden and woodland, whose architecture makes a striking backdrop. Look out, too, for the snowdrop&#8217;s taller cousin, whose green-tipped flowers resemble little lanterns. Witch hazel, dogwood and hellebores also bring bright cheer before the blossom finally bursts into bloom, around about now, after which it&#8217;s the turn of lightly fragranced magnolias. </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-sheffield-park-uckfield"><a href="https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/sheffield-park-and-garden" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Sheffield Park</a>, Uckfield</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="1000" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/sussex/wp-content/uploads/sites/11/2026/01/daffodils.jpg" alt="Daffodils in bloom" class="wp-image-83506" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/sussex/wp-content/uploads/sites/11/2026/01/daffodils.jpg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/sussex/wp-content/uploads/sites/11/2026/01/daffodils-800x533.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/sussex/wp-content/uploads/sites/11/2026/01/daffodils-1000x667.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/sussex/wp-content/uploads/sites/11/2026/01/daffodils-768x512.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /></figure>



<p>Veritable drifts of jolly white flowers were in bloom at this National Trust gem, where the garden team planted a whopping 20,000 additional snowdrop bulbs at the end of 2025. Now it&#8217;s the turn of crocuses and some 50,000 sunshine-yellow daffs 50,000, followed by cherry blossoms and magnolias, camellias and of course bluebells. Other all-season draws include its 80 officially &#8216;Champion&#8217; trees, while the lakes and waterfalls are Insta gold. Pop them on your B roll once you&#8217;ve had your fill of snowdrops – or do nothing of the sort and just enjoy being here now. Look out for a <a href="https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/sussex/sheffield-park-and-garden/events/6790ee06-aac6-4be4-b35f-9df7d4f23c98" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Spring Bulbs and Daffodils: Walk and Talk</a> on <strong>25 Mar</strong>. </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-wakehurst-place-ardingly"><a href="https://www.kew.org/wakehurst" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Wakehurst Place</a>, Ardingly</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="1000" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/sussex/wp-content/uploads/sites/11/2026/01/Wakehurst-2.jpg" alt="Snowdrops and cyclamen at Wakehurst in Sussex" class="wp-image-83071" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/sussex/wp-content/uploads/sites/11/2026/01/Wakehurst-2.jpg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/sussex/wp-content/uploads/sites/11/2026/01/Wakehurst-2-800x533.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/sussex/wp-content/uploads/sites/11/2026/01/Wakehurst-2-1000x667.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/sussex/wp-content/uploads/sites/11/2026/01/Wakehurst-2-768x512.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Snowdrops &amp; Cyclamen at Wakehurst in February </figcaption></figure>



<p>Kew&#8217;s Sussex sister site is well worth a visit, not just for its early spring blooms but also for the rare plants and noteworthy trees, walled and water gardens, and wetlands boardwalk. You&#8217;ll find wild cyclamen clustered near the visitor centre, daffodils around the Mansion Pond, and pastel pink magnolias in the Water Gardens. Look out, too, for early rhododendrons, primroses, camellias, and the start of bluebell season in the wooded areas. If you&#8217;ve not yet ducked into the seed bank, do – it&#8217;s one of just a handful around the world, and its work is ever more vital. And did we mention the RHS shop? </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-woods-mill-henfield"><a href="https://sussexwildlifetrust.org.uk/visit/woods-mill" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Woods Mill</a>, Henfield</h2>



<p>The headquarters of the Sussex Wildlife Trust, this nature reserve has plenty to see including old ponds and a lake, ancient woodland and meadows with wild hedgerows. A word to the wise: dogs aren&#8217;t allowed (except assistance dogs). </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-west-dean-gardens-chichester"><a href="https://www.westdean.org.uk/gardens" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">West Dean Gardens</a>, Chichester</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="664" src="https://sussex.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/11/2019/06/The-Edwardian-Pergola-at-West-Dean-Gardens.jpg" alt="Spring at West Dean, Sussex" class="wp-image-41939" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/sussex/wp-content/uploads/sites/11/2019/06/The-Edwardian-Pergola-at-West-Dean-Gardens.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/sussex/wp-content/uploads/sites/11/2019/06/The-Edwardian-Pergola-at-West-Dean-Gardens-300x199.jpg 300w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/sussex/wp-content/uploads/sites/11/2019/06/The-Edwardian-Pergola-at-West-Dean-Gardens-768x510.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/sussex/wp-content/uploads/sites/11/2019/06/The-Edwardian-Pergola-at-West-Dean-Gardens-720x478.jpg 720w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">The Pergola at West Dean</figcaption></figure>



<p>One of the greatest restored gardens open to the public, West Dean is packed with bulbs ready to erupt including crocuses and daffodils as well as snowdrops. Watch that space! There&#8217;s plenty more to check out while you&#8217;re there, too, including a seriously swanky bug hotel and the fluffiest members of the West Dean Gardens team: two Lavender Pekin Bantam hens, tasked with roaming the orchard to peck at pests. </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-old-vicarage-washington"><a href="https://findagarden.ngs.org.uk/garden/21793/the-old-vicarage" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Old Vicarage</a>, Washington</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="1000" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/sussex/wp-content/uploads/sites/11/2026/01/tulips.jpg" alt="Tulips in bloom" class="wp-image-83507" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/sussex/wp-content/uploads/sites/11/2026/01/tulips.jpg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/sussex/wp-content/uploads/sites/11/2026/01/tulips-800x533.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/sussex/wp-content/uploads/sites/11/2026/01/tulips-1000x667.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/sussex/wp-content/uploads/sites/11/2026/01/tulips-768x512.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /></figure>



<p>This private garden is the kind of oasis that&#8217;ll leave even the most green-fingered competitor feeling shabby, but it&#8217;s worth knowing that 35 years have gone into making its 3-plus acres this impressive. There&#8217;s formal topiary, an Italianate gazebo, a stumpery, a Japanese garden complete with waterfall and tea house&#8230; Also, some 4,000 spring bulbs are planted annually. Daffodils, tulips, fritillaria, camassia and bluebells all feature, along with an astonishing range of snowdrops, which bloom from early to late season. It&#8217;s open on Thursdays thanks to the National Garden Scheme. </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-pembury-house-clayton"><a href="http://www.pemburyhouse.co.uk" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Pembury House</a>, Clayton </h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="1000" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/sussex/wp-content/uploads/sites/11/2026/01/Pembury-2.jpg" alt="Snowdrops in bloom at Pembury House, Sussex" class="wp-image-83062" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/sussex/wp-content/uploads/sites/11/2026/01/Pembury-2.jpg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/sussex/wp-content/uploads/sites/11/2026/01/Pembury-2-800x533.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/sussex/wp-content/uploads/sites/11/2026/01/Pembury-2-1000x667.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/sussex/wp-content/uploads/sites/11/2026/01/Pembury-2-768x512.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Pembury House</figcaption></figure>



<p>Another private stunner decades in the making, this garden is something of a local celebrity, having featured on <em>Gardeners&#8217; World</em> and also on Japanese TV. It&#8217;s also proof that your beds and borders needn&#8217;t be dull even in the greyest of months: no less than 101 plants were apparently in flower there on Christmas Day 2025. You can enjoys its displays of snowdrops, hellebores and cyclamen but you&#8217;ll need to be quick: it&#8217;s open every <strong>Thurs and Fri</strong> only until <strong>6 Mar</strong>. Admission includes coffee and cake! Dogs on leads welcome, just keep them away from those bakes. </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-leonardslee-lakes-and-gardens-lower-beeding"><a href="https://www.leonardsleegardens.co.uk/winter-at-leonardslee" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Leonardslee Lakes and Gardens</a>, Lower Beeding</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="1000" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/sussex/wp-content/uploads/sites/11/2026/01/Leonardslee.jpg" alt="Winter walks at Leonardslee Lakes and Gardens, Sussex" class="wp-image-83069" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/sussex/wp-content/uploads/sites/11/2026/01/Leonardslee.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/sussex/wp-content/uploads/sites/11/2026/01/Leonardslee-800x800.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/sussex/wp-content/uploads/sites/11/2026/01/Leonardslee-400x400.jpg 400w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/sussex/wp-content/uploads/sites/11/2026/01/Leonardslee-768x768.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/sussex/wp-content/uploads/sites/11/2026/01/Leonardslee-500x500.jpg 500w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">They&#8217;re on their way!</figcaption></figure>



<p>Always a joy to behold no matter the season, late-winter is the time strolling among snowdrops just peeking their heads out, and gazing at mist swirling over the lake before the bluebells appear in April. Right now, the Daffodil Lawn is putting on a golden show, the Camellia Walk is as radiant now as it was when it was planted over a century ago, and various magnolias are just waiting to be marvelled at. There&#8217;s also enough wildlife at large for it to feel like a mini safari with migrant birds, deer and the resident wallabies all there for the spotting. </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-highdown-gardens-worthing"><a href="https://highdowngardens.co.uk/explore-highdown/seasonal-highlights/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Highdown Gardens</a>, Worthing</h2>



<p>Every February, great swathes of snowdrops blanket Highdown, so it&#8217;s no surprise to learn that its founder, Sir Frederick Stern, loved these plants perhaps more than any other. While they&#8217;re more than just a warm-up act, what follows is pretty flash, including crocuses with their Cadbury&#8217;s cream-egg stamens, Mediterranean spurge (‘one of the grandest of plants’, according to famous garden designer Gertrude Jekyll), and stunning tree peonies. </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-batemans-burwash"><a href="https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/sussex/batemans" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Batemans</a>, Burwash </h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="1000" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/sussex/wp-content/uploads/sites/11/2026/01/magnolia_bloom.jpg" alt="Magnolia bloom" class="wp-image-83509" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/sussex/wp-content/uploads/sites/11/2026/01/magnolia_bloom.jpg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/sussex/wp-content/uploads/sites/11/2026/01/magnolia_bloom-800x533.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/sussex/wp-content/uploads/sites/11/2026/01/magnolia_bloom-1000x667.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/sussex/wp-content/uploads/sites/11/2026/01/magnolia_bloom-768x512.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /></figure>



<p>They&#8217;re out! Gardeners at the Jacobean house where Rudyard Kipling lived and wrote took to social media to spread the news that the first snowdrops were in bloom – welcome news at Muddy, where we&#8217;re always glad of an excuse to roam the grounds and warm up in one of the National Trust&#8217;s cosiest local properties. Right now, bulbs, early perennials, ornamental trees and shrubs are all bursting into flower. The wild garden in particular is a haven of spring&nbsp;colour&nbsp;and&nbsp;scent.&nbsp;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-your-own-doorstep">Your own doorstep? </h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="665" src="https://sussex.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/11/2020/11/bedham-church.jpg" alt="Snowdrops in bloom" class="wp-image-49492" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/sussex/wp-content/uploads/sites/11/2020/11/bedham-church.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/sussex/wp-content/uploads/sites/11/2020/11/bedham-church-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/sussex/wp-content/uploads/sites/11/2020/11/bedham-church-720x479.jpg 720w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/sussex/wp-content/uploads/sites/11/2020/11/bedham-church-768x511.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/sussex/wp-content/uploads/sites/11/2020/11/bedham-church-789x525.jpg 789w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<p>Nothing here that&#8217;s quite local enough to you? Turn your next stroll into a mini snowdrop pilgrimage and find the snowdrops near your own front door. At this time of year you&#8217;ll see them in parkland and woodland, and fringing footpaths around the county, and they can also be spotted in and around churchyards. </p>



<hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity" />



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