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The Heart of Kent - 'The Real Garden of England'

January 2008

It's time to rediscover the true Garden of England in the Heart of Kent.

With counties such as Yorkshire claiming the title of the 'Garden of England', Kent is fighting back with a campaign launched by the Heart of Kent tourism group whose research consistently shows that visitors to the county from all over the world still put gardens and historical buildings at the top of their list of reasons to visit the county.

Following research in 2006 which claimed that Yorkshire was now considered the 'Garden of England', Kent will be seeking to remind us why it should keep its title. The new findings came after a survey was conducted among 4,000 viewers of a UKTV channel which voted Kent fifth from a shortlist of 12 counties drawn up by TV gardeners.

But Kent's place as the Garden of England stems back over 400 years and is not easily given up. The title is believed to date back to Henry VIII's time when he is said to have greatly enjoyed a dish of Kent cherries. Henry was certainly fond of fruit and was personally responsible for many orchards being established in Kent, whose blossoms contributed - and still do today - to the garden-like aspect of the county. Hops were another large crop in Kent, grown in 'hop gardens' (which were allegedly so-named rather than called 'farms' for tax avoidance reasons).

Abundant in Kent today are a great variety of gardens open to visitors. From the great estates to small private enterprises, from ancient parklands and medieval herb plots to newly established gardens, they are to be found in every part of the county, and the region known as the Heart of Kent includes the greatest number of these gems.

Many famous gardens are to be found in Kent: Sissinghurst, Vita Sackville-West's creation, is by far the most well known; with Chartwell, Winston Churchill's beloved house and garden, a close second, vying with Hever Castle with its mazes and ornate Italian Garden.

But, as well as several familiar gardens, there are other equally delightful gardens full of charm which are well worth seeking out: for example, Marle Place Gardens near Brenchley is dotted with sculptures which blend into artistic planting, Emmetts Garden at Ide Hill contains the highest treetop in Kent among its wonderful woodlands and gardens, Hole Park in Rolvenden (pictured) is one of the best gardens in the country for Bluebells and spring colour while The Old Walled Garden at Hadlow is dedicated to exotic plants.

And no less than 14 National Collections of plants are to be found in the Heart of Kent, from herbs such as lavender and oregano, to trees and exotics such as orchids and bottlebrushes - a rich variety indeed.

As well as gardens regularly open to the public, there are also many hundreds of gardens which open only a few times a year under the National Gardens Scheme. Viewed by many as an opportunity to peer over the garden gate, these opportunities also demonstrate how the people of England - and Kent - are indeed a nation of gardeners. A quick search reveals around 100 gardens in the Heart of Kent in the scheme which are not otherwise known to garden enthusiasts.

The Heart of Kent has a tourism website full of information about Kent and its gardens www.visitheartofkent.com . The website also has details of accredited accommodation to suit all types of visitors, including places set in lovely countryside or within attractive gardens. For example, the aptly named 5* Garden Cottage is set in three acres of Munday Manor's gardens at Cheesemans Green near Ashford; while The Beacon in Rusthall near Tunbridge Wells has wonderful views over the Garden of England from its garden terrace. There is also a new itinerary aimed at Garden and Cream Tea Lovers.

Notes for Editors
1. The survey was conducted in 2006 by Style Gardens on UKTV channel. 12 counties were shortlisted by TV gardening experts then 4,000 people were polled to find the winners, based on criteria that included scenery, village traditions and wildlife diversity.
2. The National Garden Scheme publishes an annual Yellow Book of gardens open under the scheme, with leaflets for each county. All proceeds on NGS days go to charity. The 100+ gardens quoted are those within the Heart of Kent area - there are many more in Kent as a whole.