Gardens visit: Sheffield Park

We visited Sheffield Park, near Uckfield, today and, for once, I took my camera.

We endured a bit of rain but the sun came out eventually.

Anyway, here are some photos that, for once, are not taken on my phone...

Garden visit: Petworth House

We paid a long overdue visit to Petworth House today, although calling it a garden visit is stretching the truth somewhat.
The house and the grounds are stunning but I was surprised to find such a grand estate with no formal garden to speak of.
Nonetheless, we saw beautiful trees, vistas and deer, not to mention an exceptional art collection, including Turner, Blake, Bosch and Titian.

Cowfold Fair and Flower Show

On Saturday the rain stopped long enough for the good folks of West Sussex to step out and enjoy Cowfold's village fair.
As a closet classic car fan, I was overjoyed to see some cared-for examples of motoring history, including a German Borgward, a Jaguar XK 150 and a pristine Mk1 Ford Escort.
Also in the line-up were a modern Lambourghini and matching white Mazerati, desperately trying to steal the show.

'Rather tempting'

But I digress... The cars aren't the reason you are here so I will tell you instead about the Cowfold Horticultural Society flower and vegetable show.
While everything else at the fair was free, the society charged 50p entry to its marquee containing this year's entries of vegetables, fruit, flowers and flower arrangements.
It was rather tempting to see those strawberries and raspberries so beautifully presented but I managed to resist swiping one.

Rain damage

Given the horrendous weather, including a downpour on the morning of the show, competitors to the flower categories did marvellously to produce any entries at all.
Some of the roses were showing slight signs of rain damage but most were pristine. I did succumb to one temptation during my visit... the plant stall.
I came away with two modest ophiopogon 'black lilyturf' to fill a hole in my little border at home.
My only other purchase of the day was a generous chunk of coffee and walnut cake from the clubhouse canteen.

High Beeches in the snow

I was lucky enough to get a sneaky peak around High Beeches gardens during the snow.
Many of the evergreen trees were groaning under the weight and rhododendrons that had bloomed after the balmy January weather were also buried.
Here are some of the photos I took this afternoon...

Giant redwood struck by lightning

At the end of January, one of the giant redwood trees at Sheffield Park was struck by lightning, splitting it in two.
Rather than removing it immediately, the gardeners at the National Trust property decided to leave the tree - also known as a giant sequoia or sequoiadendron - in situ to allow visitors to see it.
The tree was the second largest at Sheffield Park at about 26m-high.
In these photos, taken by Sussex gardener and floral artist Sue Bobin, you can see the amazing colour of the red wood in the split trunk.
The tree is believed to be about 125 years old.
Photographs courtesy of Sue Bobin

Garden visit: High Beeches autumn colour

The riot of colours at High Beeches gardens only got going in the final couple of weeks before the gardens closed at the end of October.
Here are a few photos I took on my last visit.

Garden visit: Wakehurst

Here are some long overdue photos of my last visit to Wakehurst.
Every time I go there I see something new - one this trip I discovered a forest of carved tree stumps, some beautiful paths through the woods and some late summer blooms in the walled garden.

Garden visit: Parham House and Gardens

It's rare for me to have free time these days but today was one such occasion.
I spent the afternoon at the stunning Parham House and Gardens before having dinner in the Red Lion in Ashington - I highly recommend both.
These are some of the photos I took of my visit today.
If you do visit Parham, be sure not to miss the beautiful greenhouse and the marvellous long room on the top floor of the house.

Threatened hawfinch rescued in garden

A hawfinch had to be rescued after being found in a garden in Etchingham unable to fly.
The birds, which are on the RSPB's Red List of threatened species, are the UK's largest finches.
Trevor Weeks of the East Sussex Wildlife Rescue and Ambulance Service (ESWRAS), which rescued the hawfinch, said: "This is the first time we have ever had one to rescue or to treat in 26 years.
"It has a swelling on one wing near to the shoulder but we don't think there is a fracture, but it is being checked by the vet to assess the damage.
"We know they can be difficult in captivity to treat, and hope that it will be able to go outside as soon as possible and released quickly too.
"It has a large and powerful bill and is an amazing colour, and much bigger than I was expecting."
ESWRAS said hawfinches had previously been found in Kent but were "not so common" in East Sussex.
It is estimated that there are between 3,000 and 6,500 breeding pairs in the UK.

Gardens visit: Borde Hill

While I expect many of the National Trust gardens are full to bursting with visitors over the Easter holiday, privately owned Borde Hill was pleasantly quiet.
Here are some of the photos I took on my visit today.

Gardens visit: High Beeches

A lot of seasonal gardens have reopened this month - High Beeches in Handcross is one.
Here are some photos I took on my visit there this weekend.

Sussex in the snow