DAYSOUT
Garden Globetrotting cont...
© Riverhill Gardens Ltd
RIVERHILL HIMALAYAN GARDENS
While visiting the castle, you can explore beyond the cultivated gardens and follow the designated walking trails, where you will be led to a number of unfenced lakes on the grounds, with purpose-built ramps for dogs to take a swim. These lakes were originally created in the 16th century to dig out clay which was used to make the bricks for Sissinghurst Castle Tower, with each part of the estate a testament to the castle’ s extensive history.
Finish off your exploration with a 40-minute circular walk through the woodland and round to the ancient apple orchard, where you can relax for a picnic, or head back to The Granary restaurant, where you can indulge in a number of homemade cakes and cooling refreshments.
THE ANCIENT FERNS OF RIVERHILL
The nationally celebrated Riverhill Himalayan Gardens( riverhillgardens. co. uk) boasts over 12 acres of 19th-century historic gardens. Home to the Rogers family since 1840, John Rogers cultivated his knowledge as a botanist to create the hillside gardens, which have continued to transform across the centuries, but have always retained spectacular views across the Weald of Kent.
The unexpected is often found when discovering the gardens, starting with the Malabar Coffee House( malabarcoffee. co. uk) in Riverhill. This award-winning, independent coffee shop is the ideal first spot to discover, serving organic Fairtrade coffee as well as locally baked cakes and pastries. You can then start your exploration at the famous Walled Garden, with sculptural glass terraces that lead you down to a central water feature. Incorporating contemporary art with the historic gardens, the gently bubbling fountains were designed by renowned British sculptor, Julian Wild.
Find your way to the Himalayan Hut on the top terrace; made using traditional Kentish hop poles, the hut has wood from a cedar tree that was destroyed in the great storm of 1987. Following on through the garden will lead to the Rose Walk, filling the trail with sweet, fresh smells of blooming roses; you can discover a 170-year-old fig tree here, still bearing delicious fruit in the summer.
Finally, you can reach the Edwardian Rock Garden; newly restored, the area had been neglected for over 60 years but has been transformed into a serene haven that’ s home to a large variety of ancient ferns. Riverhill is working closely with members from the British Pteridological Society to understand what can be done for the ferns, as the species predates the earliest dinosaurs by around 100 million years and continues to evolve at a rapid rate. The unique microclimate of the garden allows the ferns to thrive, with over 80 varieties to observe, some of them being incredibly rare; these living fossils make Riverhill a truly unique garden to visit in Kent.
After your time exploring Riverhill, make your way to The Pheasant Plucker( elitepubs. com), a short nine-minute drive from the gardens; the cosy country pub is home to a large summer garden, perfect for an evening of wood-fired sourdough pizzas and locally crafted wines.
COASTAL CULTIVATION AT WALMER CASTLE
Set within the Tudor fortress of Walmer Castle and Gardens( english-heritage. org. uk), explore eight acres of award-winning gardens, which have evolved over more than 300 years. Some areas, once inaccessible for almost a century, are now open to visitors. The garden has been carefully cultivated through the centuries, designed to survive the harsh, salt-laden coastal conditions of Walmer Beach.
Historically, the gardens would have been sheltered from defensive belts of woodland, while the castle’ s moat provides a dry microclimate, allowing the harshness of the coastal conditions to not directly affect the gardens and creating a unique environment where decorative perennials meet the vast shoreline.
The gardens at Walmer Castle first began in the 16th and 17th centuries, where a small productive garden was built to introduce some comfort to the castle’ s harsh external environment. The garden’ s extensive history blossomed from there, being continually
www. insidekent. co. uk • 39