Highdown Gardens, Botanical garden in Worthing, England
Highdown Gardens is a botanical garden located on Highdown Hill near Worthing, spread across multiple acres of cultivated land. It contains a wide variety of plant species that thrive in chalk soil conditions shaped by the nearby South Downs landscape.
The garden began when Sir Frederick Stern and Lady Sybil transformed an old chalk quarry into a private garden starting in 1909 and continuing through 1967. Over those decades they systematically collected plants from China, the Himalaya, and other distant regions.
The collections showcase plants gathered by renowned botanists Reginald Farrer and Ernest Henry Wilson during their travels to distant regions. Today visitors can observe how these specimens from far away have become part of English garden culture and practice.
The gardens are open to visitors daily and admission is free, making it easy to visit at any time. The best time to explore is during the growing season when plants are in bloom and most active.
The land was originally a chalk quarry, and the gardeners learned how to grow exotic plants in the challenging conditions of these soils. This creative solution of turning a limitation into a thriving plant collection makes it a fascinating example of resourceful gardening.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
