“When you’re in the walled garden working, the hours ust b it s bliss"
The first thing a casual observer might notice about The Beeches at Barcombe in East Sussex is that they can’t observe much. Tantalising hedges, mellow brick walls and an oddly back-to-front house reveal only barrows full of produce, cut flowers and an honesty jar left outside for South Downs ramblers and local villagers to enjoy.
“We open for the National Garden Scheme and our local hospice,” says garden owner Sandy Coppen. “We always get a good turnout because everyone wants to know what’s behind the wall!” Thanks to those high boundaries, once you’re inside it’s possible to forget the windy aspect of the Downs and the public footpath that crosses the property. Here flourishes a microclimate: a woodland walk; a damp garden filled with