Award-winning West Dean Gardens near Chichester, West Sussex has announced that it will be open all year round, with the exception of December 23-26, 2019 and January 1, 2020. The Gardens, which provide the inspirational setting for West Dean College of Arts and Conservation, welcome visitors and students and include a Restaurant as well as the newly-opened Gardener’s Cottage for teas and coffees until November 30, operating Friday-Sunday, 11am-3pm.

Head Gardener Tom Brown said:  “We are very pleased that the garden will be open all year round as the garden’s structure takes the fore in December. Skeletal forms of the many magnificent trees dominate and swathes of evergreen structural shrubs are planted in ribbons throughout the Spring and Wild Gardens. Visitors can also see how the Walled Garden starts to rev up for the season to come, pruning fruit trees, preparing the ground for vegetables and cut flowers, as well as the glasshouses cleaned and then full of emerging seedlings and displays.”

He continues: “With Christmas getting close, an annual pass to the gardens is a perfect gift for the Horticultural enthusiast, with an individual membership being only £36 and in 2020, there will be more opportunities to visit the garden than ever before!” Visitors can also buy their day ticket online in advance or on arrival. www.westdean.org.uk/gardens

In addition to visiting the gardens, there are also a wide variety of garden-related courses and talks taking place at West Dean College of Arts and Conservation over the next six months. These include:

16 November - Growing apples, pears, plums and cherries - John Nash (£128)
4 December at 6pm – Talk: A Beautiful Obsession – Jimi Blake’s World of Plants (£36)
17 December - Contemporary Christmas decorations from foraged materials - Annie Guilfoyle (£163)
12 to 15 January 2020 - Designing your own garden - Annie Guilfoyle (£381)
1 February - Planting a garden for interest in all seasons - Sally Gregson (£128)
13 February - The winter garden – creating and maintaining winter interest - Benjamin Pope (£138)
15 February - Pruning garden shrubs and climbers - Stephen Smith (£138)
15 February - Simplifying the rules – easier ways to a successful vegetable and fruit garden – Charles Dowding (£85)
7 March – Talk: The Oudolf Gardens at Hauser & Wirth Somerset - Jason Ingram and Rory Dusoir (£36)
28 March - Terrarium, kokedama – house plant styling workshop - Jen Berry (£158)

For full details of each course and to browse the latest digital brochure, please visit www.westdean.org.uk

Gift vouchers of £10, £25, £50 or £100 can be used as full or part payment towards a short course.