The garden where the hit BBC One TV series Ghosts was filmed is being opened to the public in 2023.
The National Garden Scheme today announced that West Horsley Place in Guildford, Surrey, (known as Button House in the series) would be opening its spooky iron gates for fans and more to visit its garden.
The grade II listed manor house was the setting for Ghosts, which first aired in 2019 and stars Matthew Baynton, Charlotte Ritchie, Simon Farnaby and Kiell Smith-Bynoe. The series tells of a couple who inherit an old mansion which has supernatural inhabitants that already live there.
The gardens will be of particular interest to fans of the ghosts, including Robin the Caveman and Pat, who come to unfortunate ends in the grounds. The series has also spawned a US version.
The house is within a 380 acre estate that dates back to the fifteenth century and the garden itself is around 5 acres. The house, which has also been the setting for other series and films including Enola Holmes, Vanity Fair and Howards End, is also open for tours and open days. The dates for this year's open days will be announced on 1 February.
IN BRIEF
- Name South Wood Farm.
- What An English flower garden designed by Arne Maynard.
- Where Devon.
- Size Five acres.
- Soil Clay with chert rock.
- Climate Warm and temperate, with high rainfall.
- Hardiness zone USDA 8.
The West Horsley Place garden is open as part of the National Garden Scheme on 7 May and 24 September 2023.
It is one of many gardens being opened up as part of this year's National Garden Scheme, which kicks off with its snowdrop festival in February with over 100 gardens opening.
Gardens opening as part of the scheme for the first time this year include Dean Manor in Oxfordshire, Brook Hall in County Londonderry in Northern Ireland and Skool Beanz Children's Allotment in Somerset. There are several gardens owned by professional designers that are opening this year, including Theobald's Farmhouse in London designed by Alison Green and Riverside House in Wiltshire, designed by Susie Watson.
Saling Hall in Essex, which has not been open to the public since 2012, will open as part of the NGS this year too, alongside returning gardens including Pusey House in Oxfordshire and Chilcombe House in Dorset.
The NGS is also featuring several rewilding gardens and holding rewilding events including at Knepp Castle in West Sussex, which opens on 27 May and Hooke Farm in Dorset, with their Wilding Weekend on 17 and 18 June.
In 2022 the NGS gardens raised £3.11 million for nursing and health charities. The full NGS Garden Visitor's Handbook is available in early February here.
