Merriments Gardens is alive with butterflies this summer, with gardeners and volunteers reporting a surge in the number of butterfly species spotted across the four-acre East Sussex garden just as Butterfly Conservation’s 17th annual Big Butterfly Count gets underway.
The national count, the UK’s biggest survey of butterflies, encourages people to spend 15 minutes recording the butterflies they see, helping build a picture of how these important insects are faring and what their numbers reveal about the health of the environment. The annual Big Butterfly count continues until Sunday 9 August 2026.
Merriments is inviting visitors to take part while enjoying the gardens at one of the best times of year for butterfly spotting, with nectar-rich planting, lavender, meadow areas and colourful borders drawing in a wide range of species.
Butterflies identified around Merriments Gardens this week include:
- Gatekeeper
- Meadow brown
- Cabbage whites
- Red admiral
- Peacock
- Small tortoiseshell
- Comma
- Common blue
- Brown argus
- Brimstone
Head Gardener Dan Warne said: “Butterflies are one of the great joys of summer. Their colour and movement bring a garden to life, but they also remind us how important it is to create spaces where insects can thrive.
“At Merriments we garden organically, avoid pesticides and plant with pollinators in mind. Across the gardens visitors can see nectar-rich flowers supporting butterflies, bees and other insects, and we hope they leave with ideas for plants they can use at home to help wildlife too. We have also been expanding the number of bee hives in the meadow gardens, with the aim of harvesting around 100lbs of honey next year for sale or use in the Merriments Conservatory Café.”
Butterflies are not only a beautiful sign of summer. They are vital pollinators, a food source for birds and bats, and important indicators of environmental health. Butterfly Conservation has warned that four butterfly species have disappeared from Britain in the past 150 years and three-quarters of British butterfly species are now in decline.
The strong sightings at Merriments highlight the value of wildlife-friendly gardening and come during an exciting new chapter for the site, now owned by Caravan Tech, the well-established family-run business that relocated from Hurst Green to the idyllic countryside setting.
Since the acquisition, Merriments has benefited from extensive renovation and improvement, including restored water features, vibrant new flower beds and the opening of the Merriments Conservatory Café, where visitors can enjoy food and drink indoors or outside after exploring the gardens.
Summer is an ideal time to visit, with lavender, roses, meadow planting and colourful borders creating a relaxed day out for garden lovers, families and visitors looking for an accessible countryside destination just off the A21 near Hurst Green.
Merriments Gardens is open daily throughout the year. Opening hours are Monday to Saturday,8.30am to 4.30pm, and Sunday, 9.30am to 4.30pm. Admission is £8 for adults, children under 15 gofree, and RHS members receive free admission.
Garden tickets and season tickets are available from the Conservatory Café, with season tickets priced at £35 for a single ticket and £55 for a joint ticket, offering free entry to the gardens throughout the year.
Dogs are welcome in both the gardens and Merriments Conservatory Café, and the accessible, wheelchair-friendly paths help ensure everyone can enjoy the experience. There is also a children’s play area at Merriments.
Merriments Gardens is at Hawkhurst Road, Hurst Green, Etchingham, East Sussex, TN19 7RA. www.caravantech.co.uk/merriments
