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Hi everyone, I’m Alex and I’m the Curator at Worthing’s treasured Highdown Gardens.

Over the decades that Sir Frederick Stern spent creating the garden here at Highdown, few plants captured his attention like snowdrops (Galanthus).

Such was his passion, he not only wrote a book about them and their close cousins the snowflakes (Leucojum), he was the first to describe more than one species and he even devised a method of identifying them that is still used today.

He built an admirable collection thanks to his many friends and contacts that either lived in or travelled to the parts of Eurasia where Galanthus are found in the wild. Back then, in the early to mid-20th century, wild plant collection was virtually unrestricted when compared with today.

Photo: Snowdrop scene at Highdown

Snowdrops grow wild across many parts of South, Central and Eastern Europe, across into the Caucasus and adjacent parts of the Middle East. There is a concentration of species around the Caucasus and the Balkans. The name Galanthus means milk flower and is a portmanteau derived from Greek gala (milk) and anthos (flower).

Although there are a great many species to be found in the garden, three that I find especially interesting are Galanthus gracilis, G. ikariae and G. rizehensis.

Galanthus gracilis is arguably the species that is most associated with Highdown as there are such a large number of them here. They flower between January and the middle of February. The name gracilis means slender or light. This is reflected in the gently twisting narrow grey-green leaves. They are pretty and unassuming. Although, like almost all species, the flowers are quite variable, they almost always have an olive-green ovary (the part that you see above the white petals) and have two marks on the inner segment of the flower, one at the top and one at the bottom.

Photo: Galanthus gracilis

Galanthus ikariae flower later than G. gracilis. They get their name from the Greek Island Ikaria, from which they are native. This island was named after Icarus, the boy from mythology who flew too close to the sun and paid the ultimate price. There’s no danger of these snowdrops getting dangerously close to the sun although they do enjoy a warm sheltered spot and dislike very cold winters. You can recognise them by their deep-green, glossy leaves and by the single mark on their inner segment that looks like a pair of natty green Bermuda shorts.

Photo: Galanthus ikariae

While Galanthus rizehensis is not the most ornamental snowdrop, it does have a quiet, understated charm. What makes it interesting is that it is one of the snowdrops that Stern was the first to describe. He grew seeds that were sent to him by his friend E. A. Bowles from Rize in Turkey. He noticed that a couple of the plants that germinated from this batch were different to anything else that he had seen. He described the plant, pressed a sample and sent it to the British Museum Herbarium where it was declared a new species.

Photo: Galanthus rizehensis

Many of the species that Stern grew at Highdown are still here and doing brilliantly. To celebrate that, we are carrying on the tradition of recent years by holding a Snowdrop Festival in conjunction with the charitable organisation National Garden Scheme (NGS) on Thursday 15th February 2024. It’s still free to visit the garden when the festival is on, but visitors can donate to the NGS at the gate.

Click here to book a place on the snowdrop tours

Photo: The team preparing for the festival

The birds of Highdown Gardens: six brilliant birds (and other creatures) to spot at Highdown this winter

Hello my name’s Claire and I’m a Craft Gardener at Highdown Gardens.

Unsurprisingly, most people come to Highdown Gardens for the plants. Collected from all corners of the globe by Sir Frederick Stern over 58 years, these rare, chalk-tolerant specimens have been admired by Highdown’s many visitors since 1910. However, this unique chalk garden is also home to a wealth of other living treasures.

Since starting as a Craft Gardener at Highdown last year, I have been struck by the abundance and diversity of wildlife here. From sleepy slow worms sunbathing on the paths, to frenetic hummingbird hawk-moths zipping furiously through the Sensory Garden. Only last week we spotted a thirsty American mink skirting around the outside of the glasshouse in search of a drink, followed by a magnificent view of a sparrowhawk in the Lower Garden sitting calmly on the grass and glaring defiantly at us with his stunning yellow eyes.

A parched American mink visits Highdown’s glasshouse in search of a drink
Photo Alex New – copyright © 2023

On reflection, it’s little wonder that Highdown provides such a haven for wildlife. Nestled in a former chalk quarry in the South Downs National Park, enclosed by mature trees and large shrubs, the garden provides shelter from the elements, as well as food, water, and nest sites.

This summer in particular seems to have been a bumper one for butterflies and stag beetles. We were awash with butterfly-bejewelled buddlejas.

In the Lower Garden I was treated to regular sightings of spectacularly armoured stag beetles; the UK’s largest land beetle. Apparently the males will often ‘duel’ to win over a female using their impressive antler-like jaws (mandibles), similar to male deer locking antlers, hence the name ‘stag’ beetle. Sadly, these fascinating creatures are now rare and in decline across much of Europe due to habitat loss, so we are very lucky to have such a good population.

Adult male stag beetles are between 35 to 75mm long and are a common sight at Highdown in the summer
Photo by David Maher – copyright © 2023

Female stag beetles are smaller than their male counterparts, at about 30 to 50mm long
Photo by David Maher – copyright © 2023

Six brilliant birds to spot at Highdown this winter

Of all Highdown’s Animalia my favourite has to be the birds. Pause quietly for just a moment and I guarantee one of our feathered residents will come to keep you company. At this time of year the most likely candidate will be a bold little robin intent on sharing your sandwich, but robins aren’t the only birds here at Highdown this Christmas.

A plucky robin on the lookout for a free lunch at Highdown
Photo by Tina Lighten-Duncan – copyright © 2022

Winter is actually a great time for birdwatching. For a start, the leafless trees mean they’re much easier to spot. Smaller birds will often team-up together in large groups of mixed-species, giving you two species (or 3, or 4, or 5, or 6) for the price of one!

The cold weather is tough on birds and resources are scarce, so you will likely see them frantically foraging to build up their fat stores and keep warm. This, in turn, can prompt some bolder behaviour, especially from cheeky robins who will happily take free handouts from visitors.

The UK also attracts many migrant birds who will overwinter here before leaving again in the spring.

So which birds might you see during your winter walk at Highdown? Here are my top six to watch out for:

6. Fieldfare (Turdus pilaris)

A winter migrant to the UK, this plump thrush has a grey head with chestnut wings and back. They are social birds and are usually seen in flocks, although you will probably hear them before you see them; their loud, chuckling ‘chaker, chack, chack’ call is unmistakable.

Whilst in the UK they mainly feed on fallen fruit and berries, particularly yew, hawthorn, rowan, juniper, elder and holly. I have seen them gathered on the trees outside the Visitor Centre early in the morning, presumably discussing where best to get breakfast!

A winter visitor to the garden, fieldfares fly all the way from Scandinavia to feast on berries and fallen fruit in the UK (photo: Pixabay)

5. Jay (Garrulus glandarius)

The most dashing and well-dressed of the crow family, jays have pink plumage, a white rump, and a long black tail. Their heads have a small white crest, streaked and speckled with black which they raise in display or when excited. One of their most distinctive features is an electric blue flash of feathers adorning their black and white wings, but my absolute favourite attribute is their small, black moustache which – at the right angle – makes them look like a dapper, moustachioed, Victorian gentleman.

They are slightly smaller than a wood pigeon and are generally quite secretive woodland birds until autumn when they can be spotted ‘caching’ acorns in the ground ready to recover in winter when food becomes more scarce. Despite jay’s being highly-intelligent not all acorns are found again, meaning many are left to grow into oak trees – in fact, jay’s are often credited with the spread of oak trees following the last Ice Age.

We have a fantastic population of jay’s here at Highdown, particularly down in the Performance Area. At this time of year they can be spotted hopping around on the ground stashing and digging up acorns, hotly pursued by the grey squirrels. Listen out for their incredibly loud, harsh, screeching call eerily echoing through the trees.

A handsome Highdown jay surveys the area, planning where to stash his next acorn
Photo by Tina Lighten-Duncan – copyright © 2022

4. Goldcrest (Regulus regulus)

The UK’s smallest bird weighing-in at just 5g – the equivalent of a 20p piece! This tiny, round, bundle of cuteness is a dull green-grey with an off-white belly. Females have a yellow stripe on their heads – in males this stripe is orange – bordered with black. They have a very high-pitched ‘tsee’ call which will help you to locate them, and they can sometimes be heard singing in winter in a rolling tee-lee-de’, ‘tee-lee-de’.

Goldcrests are hyperactive little birds, flitting around quickly in trees and thick bushes catching insects and spiders. In winter, you will often see them among flocks of other small birds such as tits and warblers as they forage for food.

I’ve had some lovely views of goldcrests by the entrance to the Millennium Garden, and also down in the Chalk Pit amidst the mature trees and shrubs that adorn the cliff face.

With its splendid golden crown, the goldcrest is known as the ‘king of birds’ in European folklore. It also has the Latin name ‘Regulus regulus’ meaning ‘petty king’ or ‘prince’ (photo: Pixabay)

3. Wren (Troglodytes troglodytes)

Giving the goldcrest a run for its money in the ‘teeny’ stakes, this little, brown bird is a tiny ball of pure energy. Wrens weigh about 10g – the same as a £1 coin – and although they aren’t Britain’s smallest bird they are the shortest, measuring between 6 to 20cm. Their petite stature may explain why they are so keen to snuggle-up together in winter, establishing communal roosts at night to reduce heat loss. Most roosts usually involve a handful of individuals, but there are records of up to 63 using a single nest box and almost 100 in an attic of a house!

The wren may be small, but its voice is mighty! Considering its diminutive size it has a staggeringly loud song – the loudest in proportion to its size of any British bird – comprising a series of high-pitched, cascading notes, mixed with little ‘trills’. It also has a very distinctive, rattling ‘tic-tic’ call. Its small tail is often stuck up vertically making it look almost round in shape as it relentlessly searches for insects and other invertebrates, usually low to the ground in bushes and vegetation.

Wrens are a common (albeit fleeting) sight in the Lower Garden, moving mouse-like through the undergrowth in search of their next meal.

The UK’s most common breeding bird, the tiny wren can be spotted whizzing around in the undergrowth in search of insects (photo: Pixabay)

2. Long-tailed tit (Aegithalos caudatus)

One of my all-time favourite birds, the tiny long-tailed tit is a real cutie with its attractive pinky blush and black and white striped head. Measuring 14cm long, a whopping 9cm of this is its distinctive long tail.

Long-tailed tits are highly sociable and are usually seen in small family groups of around 20 birds roving rapidly through the treetops and hedgerows. These little fluffy troops are particularly vocal, making a high-pitched ‘see, see, see’ contact call to one another, sometimes interspersed with a ‘thrup’ sound. Their noisy behaviour, characteristic tail, and bouncy, undulating flight make them easy to distinguish from other small birds.

Breeding in March and April, long-tailed tit nests are just as adorable as their occupants. Intricately built from moss, lichen, and cobwebs, these cosy domed structures are carefully lined with up to 1,500 feathers and gently expand as the young grow inside.

I have seen long-tailed tits in nearly every part of the garden, but since they favour woodland habitat your best bet is the entrance to the Beech Walk, or the Lower Garden and Performance Area. Here they are frequently seen in flocks moving restlessly through the trees, often joined by other small foraging birds performing treetop acrobatics.

Highdown’s long-tailed tits can often be spotted roaming in small flocks at the entrance to the Beech Walk or moving excitedly through the Lower Garden
Photo by Tina Lighten-Duncan – copyright © 2022

1. Robin (Erithacus rubecula)

Plucky and companionable, it’s little wonder this cheeky chap is the UK’s most beloved bird. The size of a sparrow, robins are easy to spot with their signature orangey-red breast and melodious song.

Robins sing throughout much of the year and their song takes two distinct forms; just after autumn it is melancholy and wistful, but from December onwards it becomes faster, more powerful and energetic. Robins also have an urgent ‘tic, tic’ and high-pitched ‘tsweee’ call which they use when alarmed or agitated. They are one of the first birds to join the dawn chorus in the morning and one of the last to stop singing in the evening, often continuing their sweet serenade long into the night if there are street lights nearby.

Despite their friendly nature they are actually fiercely territorial and quick to drive off intruders. In summer, males and females (who look identical) will hold territories together, but in winter this is done alone. The robin’s distinctive red breast and vigorous song are actually tools used to defend their patch, and you will often see them singing loudly from a conspicuous perch to this end.

Highdown is famed for its friendly little robins who are found in every corner of the garden. They can be seen merrily hopping around behind one of the gardeners in eager anticipation of a juicy earthworm, or cosying up to visitors on a bench – particularly if they’re eating lunch. If you’re lucky (and prepared to share your sandwich), then some of the braver robins may even perch on your hand. I am rarely without a robin for company in the Lower Garden and every encounter lifts my heart and brings me joy.

Highdown’s iconic robins are remarkably tame and beloved by all
Photo by Tina Lighten-Duncan – copyright © 2022

So what are you waiting for? Pull on your wellies, grab your binoculars and get down to Highdown for some wonderful winter bird watching … oh, and the plants are pretty good too.

Photos by Tina Lighten-Duncan – copyright © 2022
Instagram.com – tina_lighten
Facebook.com – Lighten Photography UK

Hello my name’s Lisa and I’m a Craft Gardener at Highdown Gardens.

Autumn is here and I’m aware the climbing roses along the Pergola, at the very bottom of Highdown Gardens, will soon need to be pruned and tied back. This task is done between late autumn up until the end of winter, when the roses have finished their show of flowers and rose hips.

At the moment the climbing roses’ new growth is long, hanging loose and dangling along the Pergola. Every winter, I have the long but enjoyable job of saving the climbing roses’ fresh new growth and tying it onto the wires along the Pergola, in my preferred circular, wavy style. However, old growth is saved and tied in if new growth is limited, to ensure the climbing roses look balanced and evenly spaced when tied up along the wires. If there’s plenty of new growth it’s a case of selecting the best and strongest stems and sacrificing the others, so the rose is not too crowded and there is space between the stems when tied up onto the Pergola.

We have one rambling rose on the Pergola, Rambling Rector, which is treated differently to the climbing roses. It is pruned immediately after flowering, this is because rambling roses will not repeat flower and have finished what they were going to do that year, and will flower again next summer on the previous year’s wood. Unlike climbing roses which will flower repeatedly and flower next summer on the current year’s growth.

Originally during Sir Frederick Stern’s time there used to be two long Pergolas at the bottom of the garden covered with climbing roses, providing a magnificent tunnel of roses to walk through. However, over time trees had grown up and around the Pergolas, shading out the roses, and the two Pergolas eventually rotted away. Only one of the Pergolas was remade and put back, you still see a small section of the old wooden structure of the other Pergola.

While this area of Highdown Gardens is still a bit of a jungle, there are some beautiful shrubs growing here, like Solanum Laciniatum or Kangaroo Apple with its beautiful purple flowers which flower for a long period throughout spring and summer. This shrub attracts a lot of attention from visitors.

Also the Schisandra Grandiflora Rubriflora or Chinese Magnolia Vine with deep red flowers flowering in spring and summer is stunning.

Close to the Schisandra is the Clematis Armandii which is covered in cream-white flowers in spring, stopping visitors in their tracks.

Over the two years I’ve been here, I’ve found a few hidden shrubs growing in this area. Abelia Chinensis or Chinese Abelia with it white beautiful scented flowers, has only just stopped flowering now. It flowers mid to late summer but as the weather has been mild it was flowering until just recently.

In late spring I stumbled upon a group of beautiful Allium Siculum or Sicilian Honey Garlic emerging from a mass of Periwinkle undergrowth.

Behind the Pergola and the roses, close to the Abelia Chinensis there is an elegant and unusual Buddleia growing. These discoveries give a hint of what this part of the garden must have looked like during Stern’s time. l look forward to the enjoyable task of identifying and pruning the shrubs in this area and controlling the Periwinkle, weeds and tree saplings growing here.

Hi everyone, I’m Anita Cannon, and this week I’m hopping on the Highdown blog to tell you all about my experience volunteering at Worthing’s beloved chalk garden.

My volunteering role at Highdown Gardens started with a post social media advertising for Tour Guide Volunteers. I’ve always been good at talking to people and sharing my knowledge, my only issue was remembering facts!

That said, I decided to apply and soon after a very comprehensive training programme started. I learnt a lot from the garden’s knowledgeable staff, but it did take a while for me to feel confident about leading a tour. Support was offered and I never felt pressured to take one until I was ready.

My first tour was a bit nerve racking but it went really well. I have also found that as time has passed, I’m still learning and as I find out more, I can add new details to my future talks. I really want visitors to get their money’s worth and understand the garden’s incredible story!

My volunteer role has grown as I also became a Visitor Assistant helping at special events, such as the Snowdrop and Peony days and children’s Discover Days, which take place during the school holidays.

Lastly, I also trained to work in the garden’s pop-up shop, which features a range of plants for sale which can be found around our historic garden. You don’t need to have expert knowledge on the plants being sold, but you do happen to learn little gems of information as you go along.

Photo: Jane (left) with Anita (right) in the Highdown greenhouse volunteering in the pop up shop

I’ve recently volunteered for a Highdown Gardens history role, but this hasn’t started yet. I’m really looking forward to finding out more about these historic gardens.

There are also opportunities to join the team and volunteer as a gardener, either in the gardens or in the new glasshouse.

Volunteering at Highdown Gardens is such a rewarding role, as everyone is so friendly and welcoming. The staff really appreciate the work of their volunteers and I feel supported at all times. I can do as much (or as little) as I want, and there is never pressure to attend anything if I’m not feeling up to it.

Photo: Anita (left) with Rebecca (right) in the Highdown Visitor Centre volunteering at a Highdown Discover Day

If you feel you can give some time to the gardens please see:

• Become a volunteer

It’s such a unique place and offers so much to the thousands of visitors who enter for free each year.

Thanks for reading, Anita.

• Guided Tours are every Thursday from 2pm to 3pm and are currently priced £5 per person (book online or turn up on the day)
• Pop-up shop is open 12:30pm to 3:30pm on Thursdays and Fridays and during special event days
• Children’s Discover Days are on Wednesdays during school holidays

Common names: Fringe tree or Chinese Fringe tree
Latin name: Chionanthus retusus
Found in eastern Asia: eastern and central China, Japan, Korea and Taiwan

The Chinese Fringe tree was first introduced to the UK in 1845 by Robert Fortune. Sir Frederick Stern bought the Highdown Gardens tree from Hillier Nurseries in 1934. It can be found in the middle garden and is one of my favourite trees. From a distance it is easy to see why it is called a fringe tree.

Photo: Fringe Tree – Chionanthus retusus

It is notable for its feathery white flowers and the name translates as snow flowers. It is not until you look closely that you are able to see the delicate flowers. When it loses its petals, it looks a bit like falling snow. It is a deciduous tree so in autumn its leaves turn yellow and shed.

Fringe Tree – Chionanthus retusus – flowers close up

In ‘A Chalk Garden’ by Stern the tree was featured in the July section and he stated: “Some of the finest of the flowering shrubs and trees bloom during this month”. Interesting to note that it now flowers a whole month earlier and can be seen in its full glory in June.

The Highdown Gardens Chinese Fringe tree has been awarded Champion tree status nationally for its height. It is related to Chionanthus virginicus which originates in America. The virginicus does not cope well with chalk but luckily for us the retusus does very well in the alkaline soil found at Highdown.

Historically the root was used as an antipyretic (reduces high temperature) and later for treating jaundice. I feel that sometimes we do not look at the whole tree especially when it is so beautiful in flower, but this tree also has another interesting feature; its bark. It is ridged and furrowed which gives it some winter interest and possibly hides invertebrates!

Photo: Fringe Tree – Chionanthus retusus – trunk and bark

One final fascinating fact; trees are either male or female. The male has slightly longer and showier petals, while the female bears dark blue fruit in the autumn. The Fringe tree at Highdown is male with the more showy flowers so no fruit!

Many thanks to Highdown’s Tour Guide Volunteer Anita Cannon, for writing this blog and taking the photos.

Renovating Highdown Gardens’ water feature

Hi, Toby Craft Gardener here, updating you on work at Highdown.

The recent donation from the National Lottery Heritage Fund has brought many benefits to the garden, but unfortunately the water feature was not included in the works.

Due to the cost of running it and the difficulty of restoring it, combined with the complexity of the Heritage grant application, meant the waterfall became a bridge too far and the sad decision was taken to stop the flow.

Thankfully, a generous spirit in the community surfaced and offered us a very generous cash donation to keep our waterfall dream afloat.

About five years ago a brilliant couturier was starting his own design studio and shot a fashion shoot in the gardens, his imagination enchanted with the garden – that day remains with him a wonderful memory.

Then, on a chance visit, one afternoon two years ago, he spoke with the gardeners and learnt the sad fate of the waterfall. He was determined for us not to be left a drop in the ocean and wanted to help turn the tide.

Originally, when Sir Frederick Stern first constructed the waterfall nearly 100 years ago, the water that fed the feature came from a natural chalk spring on the downs near Highdown hill, which fed both the house and the gardens.

Photo: The water flows once again down the historic water feature next to the waterfall steps

The spring water flowed in a pipe to the bottom of the hill and was then pumped back up under pressure to the water feature by a diesel generator, located where there is now a sports field.

The head gardener of the time, John Bassindale, first job of the day was to start up the generator, to pump up water for the daily needs of a large and sophisticated garden.

The water flowed like this until, one day the water board built a reservoir on the downs, and the house and garden were put on to the mains system, meaning the waterfall would now be fed by mains water.

At a time when water was cheap and plentiful, running a ‘total loss’ system, where water is run through and not recycled, was deemed a reasonable solution, however, as we all know now fifty years later, everything has changed and water is anything but cheap and plentiful.

But technology has also changed. And Highdown Gardens have embraced the change.

We have imagined, designed, and built a sustainable, alternative solution that both honours our heritage roots, all the while staying true to Sir Frederick Stern’s spirit of innovation.

The Solar Pagoda

An off grid solar system which harnesses the sun to power a heavy-duty pump, this recycles the pond water five metres up to the header tank, and lets gravity take it down the fall, once again reviving the elemental sound of running water.

With zero inputs this clean energy system will bring joy and happiness to the thousands of visitors who enjoy the garden ponds each year, without, literally, pouring money down the drain…

But we cannot take all the credit for this achievement ourselves. For crucially, not without the invaluable help of a big group of generous, intelligent, skilful, and kind individuals who we must give credit to…

We are blessed with some first-rate businesses locally who contributed their specialist services and products to make it all possible.

On top of the magnificent pagoda structure, constructed by 4M Landscape contractors of Heene, sit the Sun Store solar panels, the solar experts from Goring helped us calculate how much battery power we’d need for the pump and then designed and fitted their custom system.

Photo: The Solar Pagoda houses the panels and batteries to power the pump

We then got Active Pumps from Ford to fit the pump, hoses, and controller. But all their hard work is now buried under the ground or hidden out of sight, busying away in the background, a bit like us gardeners.

The Horsham Stone, as originally mentioned in Stern’s book ‘A Chalk Garden’ has been used again, this is from a cretaceous river bed and has fossilised ripples in the stone. There is even a fossilised log which now sits atop of the fall.

Photo: A fossilised log sits atop the fall in a piece of Horsham stone

All this stone is cemented into place with heritage lime mortar, and with chalk being the primary ingredient of cement, it is very apt that all this heavy laborious work in the chalk pit was fed by a constant supply of building materials from our reliable, trusted suppliers Gardner Scardifield.

We’ve used heritage Winklestone/Sussex marble, reclaimed thanks to St Mary’s Church, Thakeham, to enhance the nature pools. Look closely at the stone and you will see fossilised remains of small snails trapped in time.

Photo: Sussex marble/winklestone embedded with fossilised snails

Thanks to Roger Cordiner, author of Sussex Building Stone, who shared his specialist knowledge with us to help better understand these fascinating local materials.

At the bottom of the fall, the water flows into the pond and into a grotto. Formerly a lime kiln for burning chalk into agricultural lime, this cave feature grotto was previously dark and slightly foreboding.

But no more, thanks to a light system shining on a spectacular large Himalayan Quartz geode crystal, which was also given by the donor, now our shimmering jewel in the Highdown crown. This is very appropriate as Sir Frederick collected plants widely from the Himalaya as their growing conditions were similar to Highdown’s.

The Zaeem Crystal sits elegantly atop a bespoke Corten steel water bowl, made by Outdoor Design also of Ford. This bowl fills and falls with water, evoking the spirit with the mystical, tinkling sound of flowing water.

Photo: The Zaeem Crystal is a spectacular Himalayan Quartz geode

We’re also blessed with a wonderful hardworking group of volunteers, who show up week in week out and were a massive help for a large proportion of the manual labour involved.

Also, a special mention goes to Phil Jones, a retired electrical engineer from the Friends of Marine Gardens group, who first helped us develop this ambitious scheme.

But back to the garden, the waterfall flowed through the rockery which was Stern’s original alpine garden. We’ve now replaced some of the many plant genera and species he collected, which had been long lost, but have been researched, sourced and replaced by our Plant Heritage Officer.

This stunning collection of jewellike flowers sparkle in the spring and summer sunshine, and play out their garden theatre atop their stage of stone.

Photo: Newly planted alpine plants adorn the rockery like jewels

As much as we’d like to say the job is finished (though gardening never is) if you descend the steps, you’ll notice the bottom half is yet to be renovated.

But given the time and resources we, with Worthing Borough Council’s commitment to our green spaces, can continue this fine work and return the gardens to their former glory.

I’ll stop spouting on now and just say we’re looking forward to you all streaming in to see for yourselves!

Common names: Handkerchief tree, Dove tree, Ghost tree, Pocket Handkerchief tree 
Latin name: Davidia involucrata
Found in South Central and Southeast China.

We have a few specimens of this magnificent tree at Highdown Gardens. One of the finest is located in the chalk pit opposite Musgraves Corner.

Photo: Handkerchief Tree (credit @captured_moments_61)

When in flower you can see why it has its name as its flowers flutter in the wind like white doves or handkerchiefs. The white ‘handkerchiefs’ are actually bracts, which are leaves morphed from green to white. The flowers are in fact marble sized and located in the middle of the modified leaves.

Photo: Handkerchief Tree flower close up (credit @captured_moments_61)

The modified flowers tend to form in lines along the branches, reinforcing its common names. Young trees do not flower as they can take 15 to 20 years to form their modified leaves. The tree is hardy, so will survive in the UK but prefers a sheltered position in moist but well drained soil.

Photo: Handkerchief Tree flowers (credit @captured_moments_61)

The handkerchief tree was discovered in China in 1869 and described by the French Franciscan missionary Father Armand David (Père David). It was then brought to the UK by Ernest Wilson in 1904. It is believed that Veitch Nurseries commissioned the young, non-Chinese speaking Wilson to find the tree.

One can only imagine how he may have felt as he had not been abroad before. On arrival, he discovered the trees he had originally been sent to find had been felled to build a house. It was lucky that he was able to find other plants which he then sent back to England.

Many thanks to Highdown’s Tour Guide Volunteer Anita Cannon, for writing this blog.

Please note photographs were taken by @captured_moments_61