Nymans

From Wakehurst we drove on to Nymans, another home and garden in West Sussex. Nymans is a sad story, a 20th century family that had cultivated the gardens and built a Tudor-style mansion of some size. In 1947, alas, much of the structure--including the great hall--burned. It is a ruin, although, as a folly, it is quite impressive, if a bit close to the present house. A number of rooms are open, and the gardens are still impressive.

Nearly every National Trust site has a garden store--as well
as a regular shoppe, a cafe, a visitor center, maybe even a
restaurant--here in the garden store at Nymans I found my
first black pansies of the season; not to buy, just to look at;
Vicki has forbidden plants in the camper; initially she forbade
all but what I could grow from seed; then, when I acquired
some calamandon seeds in Spain, she reneged; she is right;
the few plants I have had in the camper have been a mess...
before dying or being given away; so I remain content to
look at other peoples' plants; fortunatey, we are in England,
and the whole place is a garden...

Approaching Nymans

The ruined great hall

Family album, including some royal relations

Book room

Perhaps Nymans' most memorable feature: a
1953 television: the lady despised its white
console, we were told, and so a proscenium
and curtains were built to house the set...
just in time for the coronation (one hopes)

More comfort

Outside, a rose climbs a burnt-out wall

The intended folly

A huge wisteria arbor

Looking back to the house

And now in the "wild" garden, across a rhododendron-
lined road

A rhodo-forest

Thus