Late May Bank Holiday Weekend Entertainment at Leonardslee Lakes and Gardens

Leonardslee Lakes and Gardens has announced a new series of evening music events, 'Leonardslee Lates', running from 6pm to 9pm each night from 26th to 28th May.   

To mark the peak spring flowering season on the estate, visitors will be immersed in a colourful and enchanting experience as they explore the 240-acre estate, says general manager Adam Streeter, with twilight casting a magical glow across the Grade I Listed gardens.  

Leonardslee Lates will feature live jazz and swing music from local artists, award-winning wine supplied by sister estate Benguela Cove in South Africa, and food by Garlic Wood Events.  

The event lineup includes Violet Jive on 26th May, a trio that blends modern music with jazz undertones, to kick off the celebrations. Then on 27th May, Harry's Tricks takes the stage with a performance that transports listeners to the 1920's, 1930's and 1940's. On 28th May, the Swing Ninjas, a vintage swing band offering pre-1950's musical stylings, will close the event.  

Visitors can explore the beautiful springtime gardens at twilight and visit the Wine Garden, with free samples of Benguela Cove wines.   

The Clocktower Café and Leonardslee Bar will be open until late, as will the Engine House Café, located alongside the lakes. There will be a Sabrage experience where visitors can learn the age-old technique of opening a bottle of sparkling wine with a sabre. Live music by the performing artists will be outside the café throughout the evening. The gift shop is also open until late.  

"Leonardslee transforms into a breathtaking spectacle in the spring, with majestic rhododendrons, azaleas, towering magnolias, and more. Visitors will see the astonishing reflections of these vibrant colours on our lakes at Leonardslee Lates, which promises to be quite magical at twilight,” says Adam Streeter.  

“Don't miss the opportunity to sample our sister estate, Benguela Cove Lagoon Wine Estate's wine of the month, produced on the Southern Coast of South Africa.”  

Leonardslee Lates is from 26th to 28th May, 6pm to 9pm. Entry is £8 per person, and Leonardslee members pay £5, with free on-site parking. The minimum entry age is 16. 

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Editors notes

Leonardslee Lakes and Gardens is a family-owned vineyard estate, near Horsham in West Sussex, which features ‘the finest woodland gardens in England’, Grade I Listed, as well as a Michelin Star restaurant and luxury vineyard accommodation.

The 240-acre estate was established by Sir Edmund Loder, the great Victorian plant collector, and now includes a Sussex Wine vineyard, with the first release of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier sparkling wine in 2024.

The estate features outstanding displays all year round. In the spring this includes rhododendrons, azaleas, camellias, magnolias and bluebells. The collection is exceptional in its diversity and maturity, with several rare ‘champion’ trees, threatened in their natural habitat.

The gardens offer a protected ecosystem for rare wildlife such as Emperor Dragonflies and Damselflies, White Admiral and Purple Hairstreak butterflies and migratory and native birds - Kites, Great Tits, Tree Creepers, Nuthatches, Woodpeckers and Nightingales.

The estate reopened in April 2019, following acquisition and two years’ intensive work by entrepreneur Penny Streeter OBE to restore the woodland gardens after eight years of closure and neglect under previous ownership. It was the largest garden restoration project in the United Kingdom since Heligan 30 years before.

Since further restoration work in 2021, visitors can also stay in the luxury vineyard hotel after dining at Restaurant Interlude in Leonardslee House, the Grade II Listed Italianate mansion house, to experience the Michelin Star multi-course tasting menu created by chef Jean Delport.

Visitors can view a magical world in miniature at the Beyond the Doll's House exhibition, which depicts the Edwardian estate and neighbouring villages at 1:12 scale. They can then enjoy a classic afternoon tea in the mansion house, making for a great family day out. It is one of the top places to visit in Sussex and is open all year round except Christmas Day.

For great days out, there is an extensive programme of entertainment that includes winter garden illuminations and light trails, wine and beer festivals, photo and art exhibitions, live music events, cooking and gardening demonstrations, arts and crafts fairs, modelling and toy shows, and children’s events and adventure trails.

Vineyards –

Leonardslee Estate: Acquired 2018 - 3.1 Acres - 2018 First vines planted - 4,000 Estimated bottles Experimental planting of Pinotage - 2022 First estate Pinotage

Mannings Estate: Acquired 2017 - 34 Acres - 2017 First vines planted - 70,000 Estimated bottles Sparkling wine cultivars 60% Chardonnay, 30% Pinot Noir and 10% Pinot Meunier - 2024 First release of wine