With Spring approaching, many people are looking forward to seeing the wealth of beautiful bulbs such as daffodils, tulips, crocus and fritillary flowering in gardens and parks through West Sussex.

A visit to The Old Vicarage, in Washington, West Sussex is a great place to see a stunning display of spring colour. Each year thousands of spring bulbs, including 2000 tulips, are planted in the 3½ acre garden, which is set around an 1832 Regency house (not open) in the village of Washington.

In addition to this dazzling treat, the garden has many wonderful features to see including mature and specimen trees, a Japanese garden, an Italianate gazebo, water gardens and numerous creatively planted herbaceous borders.

The working kitchen garden has glasshouses, fruit cages, orchard and vegetables. Throughout the garden, there are well placed seating areas to take in the stunning West Sussex scenery.

The tree house is much loved by young and old alike, from here the nature viewing platform opens on to the woodland copse area which incorporates a stream and architectural stumpery. Everyone loves the topiary of characters who watch over the tennis court. Whatever the weather, there is a haven in the conservatory where refreshments are available.

The garden has been featured in The Telegraph and Sussex Life, Absolutely Sussex, Sussex Local magazines as well as on BBC Radio Sussex and many other local and national publications. In 2021 The Old Vicarage was a Regional Finalist, The English Garden’s The Nation’s Favourite Gardens.

The Old Vicarage opens for the National Garden Scheme every Thursday from 9th February through to 12th October (10.30an-4.30pm). Admission £7. Please visit https://ngs.org.uk for information and booking.

It is also open on Monday 10th April and Monday 28th August (10.30am-4.30pm). For these days you can pre-book online or pay at the gate on the day. Admission £7. Visits also by arrangement for groups of 10 to 30. Please visit https://ngs.org.uk for information and booking.

The National Garden Scheme was founded in 1927 by The Queen’s Nursing Institute to raise money for district nurses. Ever since then it has given annual donations to nursing and health charities totalling over £67 million. It gives visitors unique, affordable access to over 3,500 exceptional private gardens in England, Wales, Northern Ireland and the Channel Islands and raises impressive amounts through admission charges and the sale of tea and cake.

Thanks to the generosity of garden owners, volunteers and visitors we are now the most significant charitable funder of nursing in the UK.

As well as the Queen’s Nursing Institute, our beneficiaries include Macmillan Cancer Support, Marie Curie, Hospice UK and Parkinson’s UK. The National Garden Scheme doesn’t just open beautiful gardens for charity – we are passionate about the physical and mental health benefits of gardens too.

We fund projects which promote gardens and gardening as therapy, and in 2016 commissioned The Kings Fund report Gardens and Health Our Gardens and Coronavirus 2020:

The importance of gardens and outdoor spaces during lockdown report was published in September 2020.

Visit https://ngs.org.uk for more information about the work of the National Garden Scheme, to search for gardens opening in your area or to find out how to open your own garden.

Kate Harrison West Sussex Publicity Officer for The National Garden Scheme Old Vicarage Images - Credit Jamie Walters