Great Last Minute Gift Ideas

Father’s Day is approaching and Leonardslee Lakes & Gardens has the perfect gift. Give your father the chance to get away from it all; relax in the beautiful grounds, by the lakes on the estate, enjoy a special picnic with you and the family in the vineyard - with some superb wines - and watch the sun set over the Grade I Listed woodland gardens.  

You could also treat your father to dinner at Restaurant Interlude, one of the best restaurants in Sussex, and perhaps a luxurious night to remember in the new accommodation at Leonardslee House. 

The best presents are experiences, particularly those that can be shared with friends and family. There are a variety of events planned in June at Leonardslee Lakes and Gardens that will appeal to dads and the rest of the family - and that can still be booked with Father's Day fast approaching.  

Gift vouchers are a convenient way to book many of these experiences, to be enjoyed at any time - including membership of the gardens, wine tastings and a classic afternoon tea - a great choice if you are not available, or your father isn’t on June 19th and perfect for last a minute gift. 

The 240-acre Grade I-listed gardens at Leonardslee are always ideal for a great family day out - and well-behaved dogs on leads are welcome. As we approach the summer months, until December 14th, visitors can enjoy guided tree walks to find out more about this remarkable estate. You can also visit the popular dolls’ house exhibition that shows the Edwardian era estate and neighbouring villages at 1:12 scale. Membership of Leonardslee Lakes and Gardens is from £60 a year. 

Now in June, visitors can have an alfresco tea in the 3-acre vineyard - which is the first in England to grow Pinotage grapes - with all the food and drink ingredients available at the estate shop, so no preparation is needed by you. 

The freshly made, seasonal afternoon tea picnic can be booked for visitors attending from Wednesday through to Sunday. It includes homemade finger sandwiches, mini sausage rolls, traditional scones topped with strawberry jam and clotted cream, and sweet treats such as mini carrot cake, macaroons, and chocolate petit fours. There are also vegetarian and gluten-free choices. From £17.50 each. 

To complete a truly delightful picnic, you can order wines from the Leonardslee Collection, which includes Rosé, Sauvignon Blanc, Syrah, Benguela Cove Cuvee58, and Joie De Vivre Cape Classique. Available from the estate shop. 

For other great things to do on Father’s Day, dads are sure to enjoy the Italian luxury supercars show at Leonardslee House on June 19 from 11:00 - 15:00. It is free for Leonardslee members; non-members can buy a one-day pass online in advance. 

On Leonardslee Lakes, there will be displays by the Schooner Radio Control group. This includes model boats such as tugs, lifeboats, sailing boats, fiesta yachts, and motorised steamboats. From 10:00 - 15:00 on the 18 and 19 of June. 

Restaurant Interlude and Overnight Stay at Leonardslee House

Dinner at Restaurant Interlude, where Executive Chef Jean Delport has gained a Michelin Star for another year, may perhaps be the ultimate luxury Father's Day gift - especially when it is followed by a luxury overnight stay. 

From the moment you arrive at Leonardslee House for dinner and are greeted by the tinkling tones of the self-playing piano, and your first cocktail in the bar, it is an evening to remember. The multi-course tasting dinner menu features the best seasonal ingredients foraged on the estate and sourced from local farmers. 

If you choose to stay overnight, you are sure to enjoy a wonderfully comfortable and peaceful night in any of the ten new bedrooms, each with a unique fabric and wallpaper style by a traditional British interior design house, in a major project last year managed by Johnston Parke Interiors and architects Gould Baxter. The décor and features provide guests with an immersive experience, with iconic English garden themes.  

Described as one of the ‘best country house hotels in the UK’ by a leading hotel reviewer, the floral Penny Morrison and Colefax and Fowler wallpapers ensure “rooms bloom year-round, larger suites with cornicing and antiques are swept in blush pinks, duck egg blues and slates, dressed with frilled cushions, and rounded off with Calacatta marble bathrooms, dominated by metal bathtubs with rose-infused bath salts. Delivering unabashed countryside decadence, Leonardslee is another reason to hotfoot it to West Sussex.” 

To minimise environmental impact, the designers selected antiques and commissioned furniture suppliers who manufacture their products in the UK. David Seyfried is responsible for the upholstery, Hypnos for the beds, BTC Original for the lighting, and Edward Bulmer and Farrow and Ball for the paints and lovely pastel shades. 

The rooms have stunning views of the wide lawns, the 240-acre ancient woodlands, and the South Downs beyond.