Nymans

About Nymans

Nymans was bought in 1890 by Ludwig Messel, who began turning the estate into a garden for rare and unusual plants. His head gardener, James Comber, arrived in 1895 and built up collections of camellias, rhododendrons, eucryphias and magnolias, while William Robinson gave advice on the Wild Garden. Ludwig's son Leonard later replaced the German-style house with a stone manor in a medieval style.

In 1947 fire gutted much of the house. The surviving part became the home of Anne Messel, Countess of Rosse, and the ruined walls were kept as a backdrop to the planting. The estate passed to the National Trust in 1953. The Great Storm of 1987 brought down hundreds of mature trees and destroyed the old pinetum, and the garden has been replanted since.

What to see

• The ruins: the roofless shell of the house frames lawns and borders on the south side.
• Rose garden: more than 100 varieties, with arches at their best in early summer.
• Wall Garden: snake's head fritillaries in spring and mixed borders through summer.
• Plant collections: magnolias and spring bulbs, then autumn tree colour and scented winter daphnes.
• Woodland: paths through the wider estate beyond the formal garden.

Planning your visit

Nymans is at Handcross, signposted from the A23. Parking is free and the car park opens from 9am to 6pm, with mobility spaces near the entrance and electric vehicle charge points. There is a café, shop and plant centre. Wheelchairs can be borrowed, and there are accessible toilets and a Changing Places toilet, though some paths are steep or uneven. Booking is not needed. Dogs were kept out of the garden for the 2026 spring and summer season, so check the National Trust dog page for the current rules before bringing one.