Nymans House. England.

Nymans is a house and garden for all seasons, with formal and informal garden areas surrounding the partial ruins of a romantic historic mansion.
History
Though the house at Nymans has its roots in the 17th century, the story of Nymans really begins in 1870, when Ludwig Messel and his family moved here from Germany. The Messels were of Jewish descent, and they arrived in England at a time when feelings against Germany ran high, and anti-Semitism was rife. Despite the social obstacles, Messel succeeded in carving out a successful career as a stockbroker. In fact, he was so successful that he had the means to purchase Nymans in 1890 and create a romantic, quintessentially English garden around the house at Nymans.

The gardens were inspired by the influential writer William Robinson, and were filled with rare plants and colourful herbaceous borders. The man most responsible for creating the gardens that Messel visualised was James Comber, who became head gardener in 1895. Comber's son , Harold, became a globe-trotting plant collector, bringing exotic plants back to England from South America and Tasmania.


Ludwig Messel's descendants continued to develop the garden in the early 20th century, turning it into one of the most beautiful and romantic gardens of Edwardian England. From humble beginnings as late 19th century emigrants, the Messel family rose higher and higher in society, culminating in the marriage of Ludwig's great-grandson Anthony Armstrong-Jones to Princess Margaret. However, the most famous Messel was Oliver, who carved out an enormously successful career as an artist and set designer for Hollywood films. This house is now a National Trust property in West Sussex in England. This house was damaged by fire in 1947 and is only partly restored.

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