Nymans
Nymans, Handcross, near Haywards Heath, West Sussex
A National Trust garden at Handcross in West Sussex, made by three generations of the Messel family, with rare plant collections and the romantic ruins of the house.
Visit information checked 22 October 2026
Garden UK guide
Why visit Nymans?
Nymans is one of the great plant collectors' gardens of the Sussex High Weald. Developed from the 1890s by three generations of the Messel family, it sits on a sloping site just south of the village of Handcross, looking out over the countryside. The romantic centrepiece is the ruin of the house, largely destroyed by fire in 1947 and left standing in the garden as a backdrop for planting.
The garden mixes Arts and Crafts-inspired garden rooms, where topiary sets off plants from temperate regions around the world, with wilder areas. The Wild Garden was established with advice from William Robinson, and head gardener James Comber built up collections of camellias, rhododendrons, eucryphias and magnolias, unusually planting heathers alongside the rhododendrons. Leonard and Maud Messel later extended the garden to the north and backed seed-collecting expeditions to the Himalayas and South America, and the estate includes extensive woodland.
Plant lovers can look out for plants named after the garden or its family. Eucryphia × nymansensis, Magnolia × loebneri 'Leonard Messel', Camellia 'Maud Messel' and Forsythia suspensa 'Nymans' all came from here and are widely grown, so it is a chance to see familiar garden shrubs on their home ground. The garden is listed Grade II* and is very popular, with more than 400,000 visitors in 2025, so arrive early on fine spring weekends.
What to see
- The romantic ruins of the house, left standing after the fire of 1947.
- The Wild Garden, established with advice from William Robinson.
- Collections of camellias, rhododendrons, eucryphias and magnolias begun under James Comber.
- Plants raised or selected here, such as Eucryphia × nymansensis and Camellia 'Maud Messel'.
- Woodland and views across the High Weald from the sloping site.
Nymans through the year
- spring
- Spring is the peak for the magnolias, camellias and rhododendrons, including Magnolia × loebneri 'Leonard Messel'.
- summer
- Late summer brings the eucryphias into flower, including Eucryphia × nymansensis, which was raised here.
- autumn
- Autumn suits a walk in the woodland as the leaves turn on the slopes overlooking the Weald.
- winter
- Winter shows the ruins and the structure of the garden rooms clearly; check the National Trust site for winter opening.
The story behind the garden
Ludwig Messel, from a German Jewish banking family, bought the Nymans estate in 1890 and set about creating a garden, while his brother Alfred, an architect, drew up plans to remodel the house. James Comber became head gardener in 1895. Ludwig's son, Colonel Leonard Messel, inherited in 1915 and, at his wife Maud's request, replaced the house with a mock-medieval stone manor. The garden reached a peak in the 1930s and was regularly opened to the public.
Fire destroyed much of the house in 1947, and the shell survives as a garden ruin. On Leonard's death in 1953 Nymans passed to the National Trust with 275 acres of woodland, one of the first gardens the Trust took on, and his daughter Anne, Countess of Rosse, stayed on as garden director. The Great Storm of 1987 felled 486 mature trees and destroyed the pinetum.
Plan your visit
- Best for
- Plant enthusiasts, especially lovers of magnolias, camellias and rhododendrons, and anyone drawn to romantic ruins in a garden setting.
- Getting there
- Nymans is just south of the village of Handcross in the parish of Slaugham, West Sussex, between Crawley and Haywards Heath.
- Before you go
- Nymans is one of the busiest gardens in the south east, so aim to arrive early on popular days. Check the National Trust website for current opening times and tickets.
Source: Wikipedia: Nymans
Questions about visiting Nymans
Is Nymans National Trust?
Yes. Nymans was bequeathed to the National Trust on Leonard Messel's death in 1953, with 275 acres of woodland. It was one of the first gardens the Trust took on, and his daughter Anne, Countess of Rosse, continued as garden director.
Why is the house at Nymans a ruin?
A disastrous fire in 1947 destroyed much of the house. Part was rebuilt as a home for Anne Messel and her husband, the Earl of Rosse, and the burnt shell was left standing as a romantic ruin in the garden.
What plants come from Nymans?
Several familiar shrubs were raised or selected here, including Eucryphia × nymansensis, Magnolia × loebneri 'Leonard Messel', Camellia 'Maud Messel' and Forsythia suspensa 'Nymans', which has bronze young stems.
When is the best time to visit Nymans?
Spring is the favourite season, when the magnolias, camellias and rhododendrons are in flower. Late summer brings the eucryphias, and the woodland gives autumn colour, so the garden repays visits through the year.
Garden features
Location
Nymans, Handcross, near Haywards Heath, West Sussex
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