Celebration of flowers will honour Lord Snowdon

The celebration, which begins on Wednesday and continues until Sunday (June 25), sees the house at Nymans decorated every June as it used to be when the Countess of Rosse lived there in the 1980s.

The house, which was partially ruined in 1947, is filled with fragrant flowers throughout the week in striking displays which complement the riot of colour outside in the well-known gardens.

Each year a small team of volunteer flower arrangers take a different theme for the event and this year they’ll be paying tribute to Lady Rosse’s son, Lord Snowdon, who died earlier in the year. Lord Snowdon also spent time living at Nymans in a cottage on the estate and visited with his wife Princess Margaret on many occasions.

House steward James Holloway estimates several hundred blooms will be used in extravagant, flowing arrangements bursting with colour and fragrance. Designs vary from delicate arrangements maximising texture and form, to flamboyant creations that fill the room with scent and drama.

Some flowers and all the foliage are handpicked by Nymans head gardener fresh from the garden with local businesses, Mills n’ Bloom in Brighton and Tim Haynes, a florist in Pease Pottage, suppling the majority of the flowers that will be used.

Many of the volunteer flower arrangers have spent years perfecting their skills. Some arrange flowers in local churches, some belong to NAFAS and some are retired professional florists.

The event is free to attend but normal admission prices apply.