An Award-Winning Sensory Garden in Horsham Park
Park House Garden is an oasis of calm and beauty nestled between the Georgian Grade II listed Park House and the converted stables that now houses the popular coffee and brunch venue Koffee.
Known locally as “the sensory garden”, this thoughtfully designed space is a popular backdrop for wedding parties from the registry office in Park House.
A Garden for Everyone
Opened in 1991, Park House Garden was created with a pioneering vision: to provide accessible excellence that everyone could enjoy, regardless of physical ability. The 0.25-acre (0.1 hectare or1,000m2) garden replaced a vandalised rose garden with an innovative design that welcomes all visitors.
Thoughtful Design Features
The garden’s design ensures that everyone can navigate and enjoy the space comfortably:
- Wide axial paths allow two wheelchairs to pass easily whilst helping those with visual impairments remember the route.
- Wheelchair bays beside benches so everyone can sit together.
- Raised beds at wheelchair height allow everyone to touch and smell the plants.
- Sealed gravel surface provides a smooth path for wheelchairs without being slippery.
- Tile-edged paths create tapping strips for long canes.
- Short Aberdeen granite columns mark right-angle turns.
- Entrances on only two sides help visitors get their bearings.
- No ramps or steps, and with easy access to disabled parking bays.
A Feast for the Senses
The garden delights all the senses throughout the year:
- Over 130 varieties of plants, many chosen for their distinctive scents.
- Colour-themed beds featuring blues, reds, and pinks radiating from the centre.
- A simple, formal layout that complements the Georgian architecture.
- Planting designed for summer splendour whilst maintaining winter interest.
The Centrepiece: The Sungod Sundial
At the heart of the garden stands the Sungod, a striking sundial designed by renowned local artist John Skelton. Its round base is specifically designed to allow visually impaired people to move about safely whilst enjoying this artistic focal point.
Georgian Elegance
Additional features enhance the garden’s character:
- A Georgian-style ornamental fountain (now a flowerbed) in the corner, using stone from the former St Mark’s Church.
- Waist-height wooden fencing with open metalwork hoops.
- Handmade Redland bricks with golden shades and a mellow finish.
A Community Achievement
The garden represents a remarkable collaboration between public and private sectors. Sun Alliance (now RSA), a major local employer, funded more than two-thirds of the £92,000 cost to commemorate 25 years in Horsham. Many local businesses donated materials or services, whilst Horsham District Council contributed the remaining third and maintains the garden.
The Earl of Snowdon opened Park House Garden on 29th June 1991. A disability rights campaigner whose mother was one of the Messels of Nymans Gardens, he praised the garden as “an example to other local authorities and organisations”.
The garden continues to embody its founding vision: a feature of excellence that can be enjoyed by all, complementing the adjacent historic buildings whilst providing a peaceful retreat in the heart of Horsham Park.
With thanks to Horsham District Council, Mark Baldwin, Members of the Horsham Society, and particularly Nigel Friswell and Jeremy Knight of Horsham Museum.