West Dean Gardens

West Dean Gardens lies in a sheltered valley of the South Downs National Park near Chichester, in West Sussex. The 90-acre estate surrounds the flint-faced West Dean House, now home to West Dean College, and offers one of the finest examples of restored Edwardian horticulture in southern England.

The centrepiece is the 2.5-acre Walled Kitchen Garden, where thirteen restored Victorian glasshouses and frames grow heritage varieties of figs, peaches, grapes, chillies and tomatoes alongside neat rows of vegetables, cut flowers and cordon-trained fruit. Outside the walls, the Edwardian pergola designed by Harold Peto stretches for 100 metres, draped in roses, clematis and wisteria, and leads into wider pleasure grounds laid out along the River Lavant.

Beyond the formal gardens, visitors can climb through the 49-acre St Roche's Arboretum, planted with mature specimen trees, or follow the parkland circuit for views across the downland. There is a licensed restaurant in the visitor centre, a gardeners' shop and a programme of plant fairs, chilli festivals and apple weekends throughout the season.