Pashley Manor Gardens is on the border of East Sussex and Kent. Famous for its Tulip Festival in spring regrettably I have never visited before despite my love of tulips. It is a garden worth visiting at any time during the open season from 1st April to 30th September as there are several different areas. Between the end of April and mid-May the woods are open for the Bluebell Walk when the woodland is carpeted in a magical mantle of blue. July and August is Lily time and each year Pashley exhibits the work of many eminent sculptors, including work by local sculptors, some of which is for sale.
There is also a lovely courtyard tea-room and summer terrace where you can sit under a parasol, eat quiche and salad, sip iced-coffee and admire the wonderful views over the lawns and old moat. And try to ignore the dozens of ducks underfoot.
The first area you enter are the herbaceous and hot borders, full of roses, lilies, dahlias, clematis, monarda, helenium, fuchsias and penstemon.
From here you can wander through to the woodland or enter the Walled Garden where you will find roses and a potager.
Up some steps – stop to admire the sculptures – and into the walled swimming pool area which looks very inviting now that the sun has appeared. At the far end is a small greenhouse filled with pelargoniums, pretty Streptocarpus and ferns.
Boy sitting
Amongst the borders edging the lawns and summer terrace are dozens of perfumed lilies
Summer Terrace
and my favourite sculpture:
Wood Nymph
Earth laughs in flowers 
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