We’re thrilled that HIP 2024 first prize winner, Curtis Phill Hsu, returns to Sussex this summer for a special picnic recital in the delightful surroundings of Fairlight Hall. Still riding high on his triumphant win at this year’s competition, Curtis offers the chance to hear a more intimate side of his playing with a full-length recital programme of works by Schumann, Liszt, Mozart and Debussy. Our Artistic Director, Vanessa Latarche, will introduce Curtis to the audience and conduct a brief Q&A with him. Bring a picnic lunch to enjoy beforehand in the beautiful gardens, or buy an inclusive package
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As You Like It
The Duke’s Theatre Company return with As You Like It! Saturday 24 August 7pm Sunday 25 August 4pm Following acclaimed tours of Romeo and Juliet, A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Twelfth Night, Kevin Bennett, (Shakespeare’s Globe, Shaw Festival, Ontario) directs this brand-new production that will visit fifty of the UK’s most magical venues. This As You Like It will live on in your memory “forever and a day”. “…look into happiness through another man’s eyes!”The ancient Forest of Arden serves as the backdrop for Shakespeare’s most famous and quotable comedy. When Rosalind is banished from Duke Ferdinand’s court, new identities
National Garden Scheme Open Garden
The National Garden Scheme gives visitors unique access to over 3,500 exceptional private gardens in England, Wales, Northern Ireland and the Channel Islands, and raises impressive amounts of money for nursing and health charities through admissions, teas and cake.
Open Garden: Late Summer Loveliness
Visit Fairlight Hall gardens and take in the magnificent horticultural sites such as the Tropical Border, Glasshouse, Walled Garden, Peony border along with the many wonderful areas of the garden. At this time of year you’ll be able to enjoy the garden at the height of summer and the cutting garden is in full bloom. Make sure to visit our shepherds hut shop to buy our produce and pop into our pop up café for a cake and a coffee. Tickets: General admission ticket £10 Lunch ticket with admission £20 (lunch tickets must ne pre-booked) Under 18s free Tickets on
Hastings International Piano Concerto Competition 2024: Hall Blooms with Floral Splendor Thanks to Dedicated Garden Team
This month has been dominated by the Hastings International Piano Concerto Competition 2024. The event lasts from 22nd February to 2nd March and happens every other year. The garden and estate teams have been busy working hard, getting the site weeded and preened in advance of the guests and contestants’ arrival, many of who will be staying at the hall for the duration of the event. With plenty of guests at the Hall, there is a need for a regular supply of flowers for the house, all cut and sourced from the garden. Thankfully we have a good show of Read More
Open Garden: Peony Power
Blink and you might miss them. Flowering for such a fleeting period, no more than a week or two, it’s unusual to see so many Peonies in one place. Fairlight’s stunning 100m long Peony hedge is an abundance of pink, red and white, enjoy to a backdrop of uninterrupted views of the surrounding landscape. Visit our shepherds hut shop to buy early flowering perennials or bulbs and pop into our pop up café for a cake and a coffee. Tickets: General admission ticket £10 Lunch ticket with admission £20 (lunch tickets must be pre-booked) Under 18s free Tickets on the
May Open Garden
Come and spend the day at Fairlight Hall, explore the gardens and admire the cherry blossom, late flowering bulbs such as Camassia and late flowering Tulips. Tickets: General admission ticket £10 Lunch ticket with admission £20 (lunch tickets must ne pre-booked) Under 18s free Tickets on the gate £10 Lunch ticket includes entry to the gardens and boxed vegetable quiche/hot or cold drink/boxed cream tea.
Navigating the Winter Garden: Challenges and Pruning Tips for Frosty Nights and Wet Days
This month has seen many frosty nights and beautifully sunny days but also wet and damp spells. Several storms’ systems have also passed through, making it a challenging time of year to be out in the garden. On frosty days, when the ground is frozen, cutting back perennials is impossible. On very wet days, working on sodden soil damages it and causes compaction. So, a good job to do is wet and cold march is to pruning our roses and wall shrubs. ROSE PRUNING This month the gardeners have been pruning roses on the Haha borders. Climbing roses need pruning Read More
Winter’s Embrace: Nurturing Gardens Through the Chill at Fairlight
Back in November, the garden team noticed that all the holly trees were festooned with sparkling red berries, we joked at the time that it was a sign of the hard winter to come. With cold weather in mind the gardeners have been careful to prepare for the worst the winter can throw at us. Firstly, dismantling the finished container displays around the site. Bringing in any plants susceptible to frost into the heated glasshouse, or tuck under cold frames. Any plants remaining have either been draped with fleece or left to hold their own against winters worst. At Fairlight, Read More
Garden Chronicles: Surviving Storm Ciaran, Enjoying Autumn Colours and Preparing the Garden for Winter
The beginning of this month began with storm Ciaran, hitting much of the Southern coast of England, an Amber weather warning was issued, where wind speeds could exceed 85 mph in coastal areas. As a result, we shut the garden. We were expecting lots of trees and branches to come crashing down in the strong wind, but in reality, we faired the storm well. Only one or two small trees came down, most of the debris was leaf and small twigs. The gravel paths across the site, now have deep channels in them, as water finds the path of least Read More