The Walled Garden

John Brookes became a household name in the 1960s and 1970s for his many successful books on the design of small gardens, and the concept of the garden being treated as an outside room. He was a source of inspiration to many with an interest in gardens, and it is fair to say that ‘The Small Garden’ changed my life. At the time, I was unhappy with my career path, and contemplating a change of direction. I found the book inspirational and the seed was sown for my future career as a garden designer.

THe Walled Garden

At his own garden, Denmans, he put his ideas about garden layout, design and planting into practice. I visited several times but in 2017, when starting writing posts for ‘The Garden Visitor’ I made a return visit to Denmans. I was shocked at the run-down state of the garden. I always like to talk to the gardeners when visiting a garden, and on this occasion was given the lowdown on the bitter dispute between John and his business partner that nearly lost him both his house and garden. It was Gwendolyn van Paasschen, a close friend of John’s, who came to the rescue and bought the garden in 2017 setting up the John Brookes – Denmans Foundation, and since then the garden has gradually been restored to his vision; that strong sense of style is evident everywhere.

The Walled Garden

Denmans has a secluded location, and is reached from a narrow lane through farm buildings and a farmyard to a large car park behind. Beyond the plant sales, lies the four-acre garden, the first ‘room’ being the gravelled Walled Garden with the Brookes’ signature style of architectural exotica, neatly clipped topiary, unusual plant species and using terracotta urns as focal points. There are welcoming bright blue painted benches set over the gravel, and the shrubs and exotica have grown to large sizes, creating a much more intimate and tranquil space,

Borders

Passing through the gate into the main part of the garden, large areas of lawn have been given over to meadow, with meandering paths cut through it. A path down one side takes you on a circulatory route around the garden, past deep borders with interesting combinations of shrubs, perennials, self-seeders and exotica. At the end of the garden lies the pond with its iconic sculpture and waterlilies, ‘fed’ by a ‘stream’ of pebbles that ‘flows’ through the centre of the garden. This is perhaps the least successful part of the garden, the unremarkable planting would perhaps be better replaced with primulas, iris, native stream-side planting, gunnera and rodgersia.

Sculpture and Pond

Denmans is a historically important, modern garden, a break with the past, and it is a huge relief that its future has been secured and that its restoration is well under way. It remains a bold inspiration to subsequent generations.

The Pebble Stream

Shaded Area Looking Towards the Meadow

July 2026

Garden Details:

Website:  denmans.org

Address:  Denmans Lane, Fontwell, Westergate BN18 0SU, West Sussex

Café: Brunch menu and snacks

Dogs: Yes – on leads at all times

Disabled Access: Good

Opening Times: Tuesday – Saturday 9.30 – 4.00pm, Sunday 11am – 4 pm