Chance to enjoy a fine West Sussex garden

The beautiful garden at Cookscroft, Bookers Lane, Earnley, will be opening this weekend.
The gardenThe garden
The garden

Owner John Williams said: “We will be opening on Saturday, May 13 from 5pm until 9pm and hope for a warm evening when the scents will be inviting, all helped by a glass of wine and suitable nibbles. Sunday, May 14, 1-5pm sees the return of traditional cream teas, thanks to the ladies of the new Witterings Hospice Support Group.

“This unique garden was started in 1988 and designed, planted and maintained by two couples, first opening under the National Garden Scheme 25 years ago. We have continued to open annually, raising funds for the NGS charities which include both District and Macmillan nurses and for us particularly, St. Wilfrid’s Hospice.

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So, what has the garden to offer its visitors? The 5 acres naturally divide the garden without any formal barriers, enabling the creation of different themes as you walk through the constantly changing scenes of cottage, woodland and Japanese style gardens with collections of unusual plants, many grown from seed. Over 40 varieties of Eucalyptus provide shelter from the fierce coastal winds, as well as setting a Southern Hemisphere atmosphere, from where many of our seeds have been sourced. There are ponds and waterfalls which provide further features of interest but no Koalas!

At this time, the woodland is a scene of great activity with a mass of woodland plants to carpet the floor beneath camellias, azaleas and rhododendrons. The flowering trees and shrubs form a colourful backdrop. The constantly changing patterns of plants make this garden colourful throughout the year. Special groups of unusual plants are clearly labelled, contributing further to what you see.

Paths are informal but easy for those less steady than they were.

More details on www.cookscroft.co.uk.

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