Home / The Heart of Kent - The True Garden of England

The Heart of Kent - The True Garden of England

Kent's place as the Garden of England stems back over 400 years. 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 still contribute to the garden-like aspect of our county.

A trip through the countryside at 'Apple Blossom time' is still a treat for many and fine Kentish fruit can be bought at farms, and by the roadside, throughout the county when harvest time arrives.

When you look at the wonderful variety of gardens open to visitors it's not surprising that research by the Heart of Kent 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.

Many famous gardens are to be found in Kent: Sissinghurst, Vita Sackville-West's creation, is one of the most well known, as are Chartwell, Winston Churchill's beloved house and garden, Penshurst Place and Hever Castle with its mazes and ornate Italian Garden.

There are other equally delightful gardens full of charm which are well worth seeking out: for example, Marle Place Gardens near Brenchley dotted with sculptures which blend into artistic planting, the wonderful woodlands and gardens at Emmetts Garden in Ide Hill with the highest treetop in Kent and Hole Park in Rolvenden which has amazing bluebells and spring colour together with wonderful standard wisteria and topiary.

For a feast of exotic plants a visit to the Old Walled Garden at Hadlow is highly recommended. Hadlow has many national plant collections and the Old Walled Gardenhas the national Callistemon or Bottlebrush collection. National collections of Japanese Anemones and Hellebores can be seen in Broadview Gardens and Downderry Nursery at Hadlow has National Collections of Lavender and Rosemary. Iden Croft Herbs in Staplehurst has national collections of Origanum and Mentha.

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 (the Yellow Book). 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.

This website is full of information, not only about gardens to visit, but also 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.

Discover the gardens of the Heart of Kent following two further feature itineraries - 'Gardens & Cream Teas' and 'Roses in the Garden of England'.

We would love to know which are your favourite gardens in the Kent and what makes them special - please e-mail comments to caroline@penningtonpr.com.