West Dean Gardens

Nestled at the foot of the South Downs, West Dean Gardens in West Sussex is one of the greatest restored gardens open to the public today.

Visitors can explore a wide range of historic features on a gentle walk around the grounds. From surreal trees to the restored walled garden, West Dean Gardens proudly presents its rich creative and social heritage.

A stop in our Visit England-endorsed Restaurant and Gift Shop will complete every visit.

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Yours to explore

Creatively inspired by its rich heritage and setting. For a day out near Chichester West Dean Gardens is brimming with features to enjoy.

An impressive collection of working Victorian Glasshouses, a 300 foot pergola, a spring garden with flint bridges and the occasional surreal fibreglass tree offer year-round interest to garden visitors.

Explore the gardens

About the Gardens

View a map of the gardens, meet the gardening team and find out what’s new in the garden this month. Learn about the history of the gardens and how they became what they are today.

What's New?

The gardens have now re-opened for 2019, with a fabulous flourish of snowdrops and crocuses.

Marquee wedding reception at West Dean Gardens Image credit Steve Tattersall

Wedding Receptions

Celebrate your wedding day in style with a marquee reception for up to 200 guests on the picnic lawn or front lawn at West Dean Gardens. Our experienced team offer a bespoke service to help you plan a your special day. Limited dates available for 2019, see all availability.

Garden Gallery

The Apple Store in Winter, credit Sarah Macra
The River Lavant flows during the winter months
The view from West Dean College in Winter
The view across the gardens down to the pergola in winter
Daffodils at West Dean Gardens
Conetwirl - One of the four sculptures by Eilís O'Connell in West Dean Gardens
The Walled Kitchen Garden
Apple Store at West Dean Gardens
West Dean Gardens makes a stunning venue for the perfect wedding reception
Kalanchoe Thyrsiflora
The glasshouses in winter
Chillis in the glasshouses
The glorious summer sunshine highlighting the beauty of the Edwardian pergola at West Dean Gardens
The pergola in full bloom
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Try a garden-themed creative short course

Let the gardens be your inspiration on a short course at West Dean College of Arts and Conservation. Learn practical gardening skills or garden design from the experts. Get behind the camera lens and discover how to get the best images of the garden on a photography course, or join an art course and interpret the landscape on canvas.

Find out more about gardening courses and lectures or the wide range of creative courses available.

For shorter garden talks please visit our gardens events page.

Upcoming events

Simplifying the rules - easier ways to a successful vegetable garden

Date
16 February 2019

An evening with Jim Buckland and Sarah Wain - dinner and talk

Date
Tuesday 5 March 2019, 7-10pm
View All Events

Gardens Blog

Welcome to West Dean Gardens in 2019

Posted on 1st February 2019

Who would have thought that after the heat and lack of rain of summer 2018 that we almost reach our average of 1100mm by the end of the year? Rainfall is a fascinating business and it's so interesting to see how differently it falls year on year. The River Lavant started flowing in December, which was a bit of a yah- boo to expectation.

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West Dean Gardens in Autumn

Take a short tour of West Dean Gardens - watch this short film with a birds eye view of the beautiful gardens in autumn.

Film credit: Sam Lee

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Support West Dean Gardens

West Dean Gardens is part of a registered charity and its upkeep and care are only possible with the support of generous donors, friends and legacy gifts.

If you share our passion for the gardens and gardening excellence,
please find out how you can help support their upkeep.