© National Trust Images / James Dobson
SMALLHYTHE PLACE
Walmer Castle & Gardens , Walmer , Deal
A former Tudor artillery fortress that became a stately home for the Lords Warden of the Cinque Ports , Walmer Castle Garden is a beautiful example of formal and informal gardens . Positioned on the almost Jurassic Walmer coastline you ’ ll be able to see its impressive cloud hedge in the striking Broadwalk , admire the herbaceous borders and colourful planting , and relax in the Queen Mother ’ s garden . It has a beautiful example of a kitchen garden – over 300 years old – full of fresh fruit and vegetables , and a wonderful wild flower meadow , shady woodland walk and a recently restored sunken glen . The flat Kent coastline is frequently blasted by salty winds from the English Channel , but the Walmer Castle garden is protected by the castle and garden walls , allowing the gardens to flourish here .
www . english-heritage . org . uk / visit / places / walmer-castle-and-gardens Price : Adult £ 13.90 / Child £ 8.40 Gardens open 10am to 5pm
Emmetts Garden , near Sevenoaks
Situated on one of the highest points in Kent and with expansive views over the Weald , Emmetts Garden has an interesting story of how it came to be . Open farmland until 1860 , the present house was built and then later purchased in 1890 by Frederic Lubbock , a banker and passionate plantsman . The name ' emmett ' is a local word for ant and refers to the giant anthills that covered the area until the 1950s . Lubbock ' s elder brother was John Lubbock , 1st Baron Avebury and a world expert on ants , which may have influenced his decision to purchase the property .
The gardens were laid around 1983 and were fashioned in the popular Edwardian style . The shrub garden was added later around the turn of the 20th century . There have been various alterations over the years but the heart of the garden remains true to how it was originally designed to be . The North
Garden is home to all sorts of unusual trees to spot in summer such as the wedding cake tree with its tiers of white bracts , and the Chilean lantern tree , recognisable by its crimson lantern-shaped flowers .
In the small formal rose garden , an abundance of pink blooms unfurls . New varieties , including the Octavia Hill rose , add vibrant tones . Enjoy kaleidoscopic bursts of seasonal colour in the Rock Garden and you ’ ll be reminded why this was created first as a plantsman ’ s paradise .
The North Garden has been the subject of restoration and intense replanting in recent years with the results still emerging . Keep an eye out for spectacular summer herbaceous displays including wildflowers , lupins , geraniums , and more to create an evolving , colourful summer showpiece .
www . nationaltrust . org . uk / emmetts-garden Price : Adult £ 10 / Child £ 5 Garden opens daily 10am to 5pm .
Smallhythe Place , Tenterden
The early 16th century house and cottage , plus former home of actress Ellen Terry , is a tranquil retreat made up of a traditional rose garden , orchard , nuttery , and ponds . An abundance of wildlife , including the protected Great Crested Newt , nestles within the blooms and a wonderful theatre , where performances can take place in either the garden , theatre or house , take place throughout the year .
The house was opened to the public by Terry ' s daughter Edith Craig in 1929 , as a memorial to her mother . The National Trust supported Craig in her running of the museum from 1939 , taking over the property when she died in 1947 . It was designated as a Grade II * listed building by English Heritage in 1950 .
During this winter , the gardeners were busy enriching the soil and planting bulbs . The wildflower bed was stripped back to encourage fresh growth and ensure new colour develops throughout the season . Over 50 variations of summer roses create a carpet of colour in this tiny Kentish garden . Climbing along the 170ft rose pergola , they recreate the look and feel of the garden as it was in Ellen Terry ’ s day . Meanwhile under-planting throughout the garden has been renewed , with a mix of herbaceous perennials and bulbs . A native mix hedge now runs down the right side edged with Dianthus .
www . nationaltrust . org . uk / smallhythe-place Price : Adult £ 10 / Child £ 5 Garden opens Wednesday to Sunday 11am to 5pm .
Belmont Garden , Faversham
A beautiful example of an 18th century house set in formal grounds and parkland . The house is completely unspoilt , a beautiful example of the distinctive work of architect Samuel Wyatt and boasts stunning views across the North Downs . The house was bought by General George Harris in 1801 with the prize money from his successful military career in India .
The Gardens at Belmont are full of interest throughout every season . The Kitchen Garden was restored in 2001 to a design by the renowned Lady Arabella Lennox-Boyd and has beautiful Victorian greenhouses , along with figs , hops , soft fruits and traditional apple and pear varieties . The garden is approached through a nuttery and provides a view through pergolas to a sundial , surrounded by a semicircle of pleached Pyrus Chanticleer . The sundial dates from the construction of the house in the 1700s . There is also a lovely walled garden with long borders containing a wide variety of plants both annual and perennial . The combination of these borders with climbers , a more formal rose bed and walls covered with wisteria ensures that there is always a visual treat all year round .
www . belmont-house . org Price : Adults £ 7 / Child £ 2.50 Gardens open from 10am to 6pm
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