There are many places in the UK for garden lovers so it would be safe to assume you would be able to find 5 Gardens in Sussex, open to the public, right on your doorstep. From dramatic prairie-style planting to historic walled gardens and world-renowned botanical collections, the county offers an incredible variety of landscapes and planting styles.

As a Sussex garden designer, visiting public gardens is one of the best ways to stay inspired and explore new ideas in planting design, layout and horticulture. Whether you’re planning your own garden project or simply looking for beautiful places to visit, these five public gardens in Sussex are well worth exploring.

Here are five of my favourite gardens to visit in Sussex for inspiration.

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Sussex Prairies – Naturalistic Planting at Its Best

Located near Henfield in West Sussex, Sussex Prairies is one of the most striking contemporary gardens in the county. The eight-acre garden showcases sweeping drifts of herbaceous perennials and ornamental grasses inspired by North American prairie planting.

Rather than traditional borders, the planting is designed in large flowing shapes, creating movement, texture and long seasonal interest. Visitors walk through the planting along winding paths, making the garden feel immersive and alive.

For anyone interested in garden design in Sussex, Sussex Prairies offers fantastic inspiration for:

• naturalistic planting design
• using ornamental grasses for structure
• bold drifts of colour and texture
• gardens that look beautiful across multiple seasons

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Highdown Gardens – A Garden Built on Chalk

Overlooking the South Downs near Worthing, Highdown Gardens is one of the most fascinating horticultural success stories in Sussex.

Created in the early 20th century by Sir Frederick Stern, the garden was developed on a former chalk quarry — a challenging environment for most plants. Through careful plant selection and experimentation, Stern created a thriving landscape filled with rare trees, shrubs and flowering plants.

Today the 8-acre garden is particularly beautiful in spring when cherry blossom, bulbs and magnolias create a spectacular display.

For a Sussex garden designer, Highdown is a reminder that successful gardens are often about working with your site conditions — especially the chalk soils common across the South Downs.

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West Dean Gardens – Historic Walled Garden Perfection

Set at the foot of the South Downs near Chichester, West Dean Gardens is widely considered one of the finest restored historic gardens in England.

The gardens combine formal landscaping with productive horticulture. Visitors can explore a beautifully restored Victorian kitchen garden, historic glasshouses, orchards and a spectacular 300-foot pergola.

One of the most impressive features is the walled garden, where ornamental planting sits alongside vegetables, fruit and herbs.

For anyone interested in garden design ideas in Sussex, West Dean demonstrates:

• classic walled garden structure
• combining ornamental and productive planting
• the value of strong architectural features such as pergolas

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Wakehurst – Sussex’s Wild Botanic Garden

Near Ardingly in West Sussex, Wakehurst is often described as Kew’s “wild botanic garden”. Spanning more than 500 acres, it is one of the most important botanical sites in the UK.

Managed by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Wakehurst combines formal gardens with woodlands, lakes and nature reserves. It is also home to the Millennium Seed Bank, a global project dedicated to protecting plant biodiversity.

For those interested in landscape and garden design in Sussex, Wakehurst offers inspiration on a grand scale, from meadow planting to woodland gardens and carefully designed formal spaces.

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Borde Hill Garden – A Masterclass in Garden Rooms

Just outside Haywards Heath, Borde Hill Garden is one of the most beautiful historic gardens in West Sussex.

The estate is famous for its rare plant collections, particularly magnolias, camellias and rhododendrons, many collected by plant hunters during the early 20th century.

The garden is arranged as a series of distinct “garden rooms”, each with its own planting palette and atmosphere. This layout creates a varied journey through the landscape and is a fantastic example of how large gardens can be broken into more intimate spaces.

For a Sussex garden designer, Borde Hill shows the power of:

• dividing gardens into distinct areas
• seasonal planting highlights
• combining historic structure with evolving planting schemes

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Garden Design Inspiration in Sussex

Sussex has an extraordinary range of gardens, from experimental prairie planting to historic estates and world-leading botanical collections. Visiting these landscapes can provide endless garden inspiration in Sussex — whether you’re redesigning a small garden or planning a larger landscape project.

If you’re thinking about transforming your outdoor space, taking inspiration from the best gardens in Sussex is a great place to start.

As a Sussex garden designer, I love helping clients create gardens that reflect the beauty of our local landscapes while working with the unique conditions of each site.

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Struggling to find inspiration for your garden feel free to contact on the details below.