The garden was influenced by the Dutch 'New Perennial' movement, notably the work of Piet Oudolf.
The site hosts an annual sculpture exhibition featuring work from contemporary artists.
The gardens are designed to be drought-tolerant, relying on plant selections that thrive in the local soil conditions.
The eight-acre space is specifically designed to attract pollinators, including bees, butterflies, and hoverflies.
The owners, the McBrides, previously ran a nursery in South Africa before establishing this site in the UK.
Sussex Prairies Wild is a large, eight-acre garden designed in the naturalistic perennial style by Paul and Pauline McBride. The layout features vast, flowing borders filled with grasses and flowering perennials, punctuated by mature oak trees. The planting scheme prioritizes long-season interest, peaking from mid-summer through autumn. It utilizes a prairie-style aesthetic characterized by rhythmic planting density and wind-swept textures. The site is situated at Morlands Farm, an active agricultural setting in West Sussex. The garden is surrounded by wider pastoral views, emphasizing the integration of cultivated beds with the local landscape.
The central elevated viewing point that allows a panoramic sweep of the perennial beds against the backdrop of the oak trees.
Bring a camera with a telephoto lens to capture insects on the flower heads.
Wear sturdy, comfortable footwear as the paths are primarily mown grass and can be uneven.
Check the website for specific dates regarding the annual sculpture exhibition.
Do not visit outside of the designated summer and autumn operating season, as the garden is closed to the public.
Open seasonally from mid-summer through early autumn; closed during winter and spring months.
Keep to the designated mown paths to protect the perennial beds; keep dogs on a lead.
