Leonardslee Lakes & Gardens Named One of the UK’s Best Gardens to Visit

Tucked away in the Sussex countryside, Leonardslee Lakes & Gardens has been named one of the best gardens to visit in the UK, and it’s not hard to see why.

This Grade I-listed, 240-acre gardens is a place of wonder: towering redwoods, mirror-like lakes, and a riot of colour from the rare Loderi rhododendrons. It’s also home to one of Britain’s more unexpected residents, a wallaby colony introduced in 1889 that still roams the grounds.

But for us, Leonardslee Lakes & Gardens is more than beautiful. It’s our backyard pantry, a living, breathing part of our process at Restaurant Interlude with rooms. Each day, we head out into the gardens to forage ingredients that inspire our tasting menu. From wild herbs to edible flowers and woodland fruits, the land shapes what we serve.

It’s a rare thing to cook with the landscape, and an even rarer joy to share it with you.