Nymans is looking beautiful at the moment – the hydrangeas are putting on an impressive display and our fuchsias are coming into bloom – but it’s the summer borders which are the true show stoppers.

This colour extravaganza is packed full of spectacular plant combinations that will brighten up even the rainiest of days. Our terrace border in front of the ruins is also looking superb. The house forms a warm microclimate, making it the perfect location for trialling new and exotic plants to see if they will grow in the garden. The result is a tantalising glimpse into the exotic, rarely seen in the UK.

In August, the garden team keep themselves busy by pruning Nymans’ wisteria collection. To do this, we take the whippy new growth back to five or six leaves after flowering. This will help to control the wisteria, preventing it from getting into cracks and crevices. It also encourages it to form flower buds, rather than green growth, for a fantastic flora extravaganza next year.

We have a new project at Nymans, the Triumph Of Hope. The name comes from a quote by a member of the family who lived here, Muriel Messel. She described Nymans gardens as being “…a triumph of hope. Always full of experiments, giving endless pleasure, with careful thought bestowed on each plant”. And so, with this in mind, we have been bringing areas of the garden to life which before had been uninspiring. The sundial bed on the main lawn and the bed under the bookshop window are just two of our new triumphant areas. They have been spruced up with successional planting and stately perennials.

If you want to ensure your garden has colour all year round, try successional planting. By carefully choosing plants combinations that flower at different times of year you can create bulb and perennial displays that will provide colour for every season.

Nymans has so much going on at this time of year, from open air theatre to horticultural master classes. The garden team are always on hand to give advice and you can peruse our plant collection to see what you could grow at home. Pop in for a super summer day out.

  • Nymans, Handcross, nr Haywards Heath, West Sussex, RH17 6EB, Tel: 01444 405250, www.national trust.org.uk/nymans
  • Gardens, woods, restaurant, shop and plant centre open every day (except Dec 25). House open every day from Mar 1 to Oct 31