Close to Worthing (in Ferring), West Sussex, on Highdown Hill, stunningly beautiful gardens are situated on downland countryside overlooking the sea. These are one of the least known gardens in the area, but on offer are a unique collection of rare plants and trees - in fact, the whole garden has been deemed a National Collection.
The gardens cover an area of just over 8 ½ acres and were created out of a chalk pit overlooking the Downs, where there was little soil and very unfavourable conditions for plant growth. The Chalk Garden at Highdown is the achievement of Sir Frederick and Lady Stern who worked for 50 years to prove that plants would and could grow on chalk. This was during a time when many expeditions were going out to China and the Himalayan regions to collect rare and beautiful plants.
Entrance is free and the gardens are open 5 days a week between October - March and daily the rest of the year. I have come here many times with my daughter and it is a most delightful place to go, with a colourful collection of plants flowering at various times of the year. We love it! And its free to get in and clean on top of that. Sometimes we bring a picnic and sit on one of the benches and my daughter can run around on the neatly trimmed lawns.
Twice yearly there are theatre productions outdoors (bring as picnic) presented by Rainbow Shakespeare.
