{"id":53754,"date":"2026-05-06T15:40:49","date_gmt":"2026-05-06T15:40:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thefamilygrapevine.co.uk\/west-kent\/?post_type=event&p=53754"},"modified":"2026-05-06T16:44:23","modified_gmt":"2026-05-06T16:44:23","slug":"celebrate-summer-at-merriments-gardens-and-cafe-open-day","status":"publish","type":"event","link":"https:\/\/thefamilygrapevine.co.uk\/west-kent\/event\/celebrate-summer-at-merriments-gardens-and-cafe-open-day\/","title":{"rendered":"Celebrate Summer at Merriments Gardens and Caf\u00e9 Open Day"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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Garden and nature lovers can visit Merriments Gardens in East Sussex on 28 June 2026 from 10am and enjoy complimentary admission to the gardens all day until 5.30pm.<\/p>

This is the perfect event to discover this gem of a garden which is easy to reach as it\u2019s signposted from the A21 just before the village of Hurst Green.<\/p>

The gardens are now owned by Caravan Tech, a well-established family-run business which relocated from their previous site in Hurst Green to this idyllic countryside location.<\/p>

Since the acquisition, Merriments has benefited from extensive renovations and improvements, including the opening of a new caf\u00e9. Visitors can now experience a relaxed day out, combining a leisurely stroll through the gardens with food and drink in the caf\u00e9, which offers both indoor and outdoor seating.<\/p>

Head Gardener Dan Warne, together with his team and dedicated volunteers, has revitalised the four-acre gardens. Highlights include restored water features and newly planted flower beds.<\/p>

Guided Tours and Garden Highlights<\/span><\/h2>

Throughout the day, guided tours will be led by Head Gardener Dan, showcasing the latest improvements to the gardens. Visitors will have the chance to see the newly installed bee hives and enjoy an abundance of colourful, scented roses, vibrant poppies, and fragrant herbs within the medicinal garden.<\/p>

Merriments Caf\u00e9<\/span><\/p>

Merriments chefs will be serving delicious food from the BBQ and guests can also enjoy refreshments from the caf\u00e9, including coffee, cakes, and a selection of paninis.<\/p>

Introducing Merriments Gin<\/span><\/h2>

The event will also mark the launch of Merriments Gin, crafted using botanicals sourced from the gardens. Visitors can enjoy a glass with a mixer or purchase a bottle for \u00a325 to take home. The gin is produced by local brand Scream Retail, known for their Thunder Vodka.<\/p>

Family Activities and Prize Draws<\/span><\/h2>

Families are welcome to participate in the Kids Hunt \u2018find the word\u2019 for a chance to win a prize. There will also be a free prize draw to win tea and cake in the caf\u00e9, a Sunday roast for two, and an annual garden ticket.<\/p>

Season tickets can be purchased from the caf\u00e9, offering free entry to the gardens throughout the year. Prices are \u00a335 for a single ticket and \u00a355 for a joint ticket.\u00a0\u00a0On the open day there will be \u00a35 off all season tickets purchased on the day.<\/span><\/p>

At the open day, a plant stall will be selling a variety of plants.<\/p>

Dogs are welcome in both the gardens and caf\u00e9. The paths are accessible and wheelchair friendly, ensuring the gardens can be enjoyed by all.<\/p>

Location<\/span><\/h2>

Merriments Gardens is situated at Hawkhurst Road, Hurst Green, Etchingham, East Sussex, TN19 7RA.\u00a0 \u00a0For more information click here<\/a><\/strong><\/em><\/span>.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"featured_media":53755,"parent":0,"template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false},"event_categories":[567,769,959,771,1078],"class_list":["post-53754","event","type-event","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","event_categories-activities","event_categories-days-out-arts-crafts-activities","event_categories-family-fun-christmas-additional-needs-activities","event_categories-food-drink-family-fun-days-out-arts-crafts-activities","event_categories-nature-wildlife-family-fun-days-out-arts-crafts-activities"],"acf":[],"publishpress_future_action":{"enabled":true,"date":"2026-06-29 03:33:00","action":"change-status","newStatus":"trash","terms":[0],"taxonomy":"event_categories","extraData":[]},"publishpress_future_workflow_manual_trigger":{"enabledWorkflows":[]},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/thefamilygrapevine.co.uk\/west-kent\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/event\/53754","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/thefamilygrapevine.co.uk\/west-kent\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/event"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/thefamilygrapevine.co.uk\/west-kent\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/event"}],"version-history":[{"count":9,"href":"https:\/\/thefamilygrapevine.co.uk\/west-kent\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/event\/53754\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":53765,"href":"https:\/\/thefamilygrapevine.co.uk\/west-kent\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/event\/53754\/revisions\/53765"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thefamilygrapevine.co.uk\/west-kent\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/53755"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/thefamilygrapevine.co.uk\/west-kent\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=53754"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"event_categories","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thefamilygrapevine.co.uk\/west-kent\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/event_categories?post=53754"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}