Jumping ducks! The fattest mallards for miles waddle over to the terrace when there’s a sniff of lunch at Pashley Manor Gardens.

They know exactly how good the menu is, and beg like dogs when there’s a piece of home-made quiche being waved above their beaks.

Not that they get too much – the food at the Garden Room Cafe is one of the tastiest surprises and not to be given away.

Quality and flavour are not compromised, with the finest salads, chutney and dressings produced in the kitchen garden.

Local wines and Kent & Sussex Tea & Coffee Company beverages help wash down a large lump of cake (definitely not a slice) – from light sponge with elderflower icing to classic coffee and walnut. It is all served by delightful staff.

And now to the garden!

Owner James Sellick first saw Pashley Manor as a boy, and vowed that one day he would own it. Sure enough, when the Georgian property with a Tudor facade came on to the market more than 30 years ago, he and his wife Angela pounced to buy.

The 11-acre grounds were not the glorious sight visitors enjoy today.

“They were wild and out of control, although we did inherit many magnificent trees,” says James.

The 1987 hurricane further devastated the gardens: 1,000 trees were lost.

James said: “It was perhaps a blessing in disguise as trees formed a dense hedge round the garden, which has now opened up views of the countryside to Brightling Beacon.”

That is certainly true, as the central, formal grounds now gradually give way to an orchard of medlar and quince trees, rolling hills and fields with grazing sheep.

Landscape architect Anthony du Gard Pasley’s influence helped the Sellicks create their dream garden, and four full-time and three part-time gardeners keep the grounds picture perfect.

Head gardener Keith Boylett works closely with James and Angela to ensure the garden continues to evolve and is always bursting with colour.

He said: “Most public gardens are planted up much earlier with summer bedding, but we need to wait for the thousands of tulips to go over. The advantage is that the garden is still looking fantastic right into October.”

The rose beds in the walled garden are coming into full bloom and fill the air with perfume. Crimson heuchera and a froth of sugar pink London Pride provide soft ground cover contrasting against the sharply cut box squares.

Wide-lawned paths frame beds to perfection, creating a soft view through the espaliered pear walk.

More than 50 varieties of lily are interspersed with the hundreds of roses to add more drama and heady perfume.

The hot beds will also soon be sizzling with dahlias, penstemons, heleniums and Canna lilies to extend our long-awaited summer.

Pashley Manor is a garden that can’t possibly be seen just once. A season ticket is probably the best option so you can swoon over the tulips in spring and drool over the wisteria-clad house in June before the summer colour even begins.

Sculpture adorns the garden at every corner, adding a contemporary twist to the classic, romantic theme of English planting and landscape.

You may not be able to take a dip in the outdoor swimming pool, which serves as a reminder that Pashley Manor is not just a garden but a home. That does not stop you sitting by the pool to admire the delicious white cockade rose adorning the old walls or Penelope, a rose trying to take over the Victorian greenhouse.

Pashley Manor, Ticehurst, TN5 7HE

www.pashleymanorgardens.com

Open to September 28 on Tues, Weds, Thurs, Sats and Bank Hols from 11am to 5pm

October - garden only Monday to Friday 10am to 3pm

Ticket £9 adults, children under 16 - £5, under 6 free. Season ticket £29.50