Nymans

Handcross, England, United Kingdom

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Nymans is a renowned English garden and National Trust property located east of the village of Handcross in West Sussex, England, set within the stunning countryside of the Sussex Weald overlooking the High Weald.

The garden was developed starting in the late 19th century by three generations of the Messel family, with Leonard Messel bringing it to renown by creating an Arts and Crafts-inspired garden featuring topiary contrasts and new plants from temperate zones around the world. The site includes a partially ruined mock-Tudor house that became a picturesque ruin after a fire in 1947, with part of it rebuilt within the ruins giving it a Gothic stage-set appearance.

Nymans contains rare and unusual plant collections, including some plants bred at the site (indicated by the name suffix "nymanensis"), along with woodlands, formal and informal planting, easy walks, and an intimate garden set around the romantic house and ruins.

The property became a National Trust site in 1953, and the final Messel resident, Anne Countess of Rosse (mother of Lord Snowdon), preserved her rooms as she left them. The gardens are open daily from 10am to 5pm, offering visitors woodlands, cafes, shops, and even a natural children's play area.