Outings Officer Matilda Smith reports on the LHS Visit to Nymans on 17 May 2025
A group of 23 LHS members enjoyed a glorious sunny day exploring Nymans, a 500-acre estate in the heart of the Sussex countryside. With 32 acres of formal gardens and 20 acres of informal planting, the site is lovingly maintained by 30 gardeners and a team of dedicated volunteers.
Nymans’ transformation into a horticultural gem began in 1890 when Ludwig Messel, a German-Jewish Lutheran from Hamburg, purchased the estate for £20,000. Having moved to England in 1860, Ludwig sought to integrate into English society. Nymans became both his sanctuary and his legacy.
The arrival of the London to Brighton railway and nearby Balcombe Heath station brought wealthy plant lovers to the area, many of whom helped found the Royal Horticultural Society. Ludwig was among them, though he struggled with acceptance due to his German heritage. He remodelled the house in a Bavarian style, which was unpopular locally, and died in 1915 feeling alienated.
Despite this, the gardens thrived. Head gardener James Comber worked at Nymans for 58 years, and his son Harold became a renowned plant collector, bringing back rare species from Tasmania and Chile. Many still flourish today, including the red lantern tree and soap-producing Quillaja saponarua.
The Great Storm of 1987 felled 500 trees, but the team replanted and restored the wildflower meadows. Today, only two coastal redwoods remain from before the storm.
The rose garden is currently being redesigned, with replanting planned for 2026/27. Meanwhile, the house—rebuilt in Tudor style in the 1920s—remains a striking backdrop to this ever-evolving garden.
Nymans is more than a garden—it’s a living story of resilience, beauty, and belonging.