DAYSOUT
Garden Globetrotting cont...
Making your way to the estate, begin your visit with a trip to the Old Dairy Tearoom, where you can savour barista-made coffee and homemade cakes, and enjoy a seasonal lunch menu with ingredients locally sourced from Kent suppliers. Then, discover the gardens, with a wealth of perennials from dahlias and crocosmia to the famous salvias, where curator William Dyson runs his own specialised nursery. Recognised as the UK’ s leading salvia expert, he has grown and cultivated this genus of plant for over 20 years at Great Comp Garden. improved, with enclosed walls and hedges that helped grow vegetables, fruits and flowers. The kitchen garden is still flourishing today and throughout summer, fruit and vegetables will be ready to harvest.
While exploring the garden, you can discover a former chalk quarry now known as the Glen. The area has now been accessible for a few years after it was lost for over a century. With tangled tree canopies and a fascinating geological background, the gardens offer a wealth of historical intrigue and unrivalled beauty.
Conclude your visit with a short 15-minute drive to Uptown Farmhouse’ s( updownfarmhouse. com) restaurant. A luxury country house hotel with a magical conservatory restaurant amid the blooming grounds, you will be surrounded by 17thcentury history and dining under ripe grapevines. Choose from a seasonal à la carte menu; with an open kitchen you can watch each dish be carefully made while taking in the views of the historic estate.
RARE BLOOMS AT GREAT COMP GARDEN
WALMER CASTLE GARDENS
Discover one of Kent’ s finest gardens, situated in the quaint village of Platt. Great Comp Garden( greatcompgarden. co. uk) offers eccentric gardens spanning seven acres of exotic perennials and rare trees, which surround a 17th-century manor house. Once home to the prominent suffragist and pioneering female cricket and hockey player, Frances Heron Maxwell, the estate has been occupied since the 13th century, with many noble residents having lived there.
With an abundance of salvias to explore, the nursery has a particular focus on species from the New World, specifically Mexican salvias. These plants are available to view from June, with long blooming seasons and vivid, bold colours. Alongside the rare blooms, Great Comp Garden is home to an Italian garden and explorable ruins, with a Renaissance-era landscape and classical beds. From here, you can make your way towards an ancient woodland where you can enjoy birdwatching and discover a remarkable collection of rare trees and shrubs, bamboo and a hive of native wildflowers.
Finish off the day with a leisurely 20-minute drive across the Kentish countryside to The Tickled Trout( thetickledtrout. com), a rustic yet modern dining spot with a lawned garden and spacious terrace. Wind down with a menu of locally sourced ingredients, from New Romney lamb to Balfour Winery’ s IPA beer-battered fish and chips, with England’ s only IPA crafted by winemakers infusing that extra touch of Kentish excellence into every bite.
GREAT COMP GARDENS
40 • www. insidekent. co. uk