Charleston - Festival of the Garden

6 Jul

14 -17 July

This wonderful festival at one of our favourite places brings together some of today’s most pioneering gardeners, artists, writers and activists, to explore our connection with the land in over 30 events with more than 50 speakers.

Charleston, the modernist home and studio of Vanessa Bell and Duncan Grant of the Bloomsbury group, is host to this event coming up soon between 14th & 17th July.

Combine a visit to the festival with a stay at The Grain Store Lewes, what could be better?

You can read about the history of Charleston on our blog here.

Positioned just off the A27, a 15-minute drive from The Grain Store Lewes, Charleston is one of our favourite places to visit. If you managed to get along to their literary festival earlier in May, you will understand the magical attraction this house and its garden hold.

Guests at this year’s festival include the figurehead of the ‘New Perennial’ movement, plantsman Piet Oudolf, Guardian gardening columnist and ‘thrifty forager’ Alys Fowler, regenerative grower, forager and cook Poppy Okotcha, inventive gardener and ‘plant hunter’ Mat Reese, award-winning author, naturalist and conservationist Dara McAnulty, organic food grower, writer and nature-worshipper, Claire Ratinon, influential gardener Fergus Garrett, Mercury-nominated artist Sam Lee and many more.

Alongside the main events that will take place on their colourful outdoor stage in The Yard, a full programme of free, informal drop-in events, covering everything from fermenting your own wild wine to growing your own medicinal plants will be running throughout the festival.

Across the grounds, there will be delicious food stalls, a pop-up bookshop from Brighton and Hove’s City Books, book signings, tasty Italian delights from the Charleston café partners Caccia & Tails, as well as a selection of plant stalls from quality, independent local growers, Pelham Plants and Pineview Plants.

All in all, it’s a truly great day out, in a magically inspiring location.

Click here to buy your tickets now!

East Sussex has long been a haven for artists and writers, and there are a number of wonderful places to visit less than an hour’s drive from The Grain Store Lewes.

You can take a walk along the ancient footpaths from Charleston to the pretty village of Firle, in one direction and Berwick Church in the other, home of stunning murals painted by Vanessa Bell and Duncan Grant.

Virginia and Leonard Woolf’s beautiful cottage Monk’s House and garden, owned by the National Trust is open to the public in nearby Rodmell and is also well worth a visit.

Discover East Sussex and Charleston, the home of the Bloomsbury Group with a stay at The Grain Store Lewes.

With the South Downs National Park on our doorstep, there is plenty to do and see!

Click here for our latest prices and availability including some last-minute dates - stay@thegrainstorelewes.com

Article by Pip de Villiers