GARDENOFENGLAND
With a land area that spans 1,368 square miles of English soil, a minimum of 75 % of which is undeveloped, it should come as no surprise that Kent’ s landscape is generously punctuated by enchanting orchards, luscious pastures and vibrant fields of greens that are the mainstay of the county’ s long-standing association with growing some of the best crops in the whole of the UK.
Crowned The Garden of England by King Henry VIII back in the 1500s, it was in fact our neolithic ancestors that first established Kent’ s roots at the forefront of growing some 4,000 years ago and today, Kent remains at the helm of the fruit-growing industry, claiming 90 % of cherries grown in England and 50 % of plums grown in the country – two staggering figures considering this is just one corner of Britain.
It’ s not just fruit that Kent excels at growing, either. According to DEFRA, Kent has the most farms and smallholdings in South East England, with over 2,700 throughout the county covering everything from cereals to livestock and spanning over 221,000 hectares of countryside. With one of the warmest climates in the UK, plenty of sunshine, fertile soil and chalky earth perfect for drainage, it should come as no surprise that this glorious county of ours is also ideal for growing hops and vines.
Half of all English hops are still grown in Kent including East Kent Golding, a variety that’ s been so important to the industry that it has a Product of Designated Origin status. We’ ve got top-notch taprooms, brilliant breweries and independent craft beer houses dotted across the county, many embracing creativity and experimentation with unique and unconventional ingredients.
Referred to as the‘ Napa Valley of the UK’, Kent has become fit to rival and quite possibly overtake European vineyards, which some have predicted will become too hot to make good vintages. Kent’ s vineyards and wineries are now amongst some of the best in the world, with tourists from across the globe travelling to this corner of the UK to witness our glorious vineyards and sample our delectable wines for themselves.
As much as Kent is revered for growing unrivalled fresh produce, we’ re also celebrated for being one of the most creative counties in the country. With seaside towns such as Folkestone and Margate famous for their thriving arts scene, Kent’ s buzzing towns are home to numerous artisan markets, each packed with boutiques, independent gifts, homeware, food, drink and more. Behind every one of these products sits a thriving community of skilled makers whose innovation appears to know no bounds.
There’ s something so special about buying something from an independent. Whether it’ s coffee from the pop-up on the corner, organic local skincare, an exclusive item of clothing from a fairtrade boutique or an antique gem from a second-hand shop, Kent’ s vibrant high streets continue to thrive, bursting with pride, life and community spirit. Progressive in their outlook, many of Kent’ s entrepreneurs are teaming their beautiful products with environmentally-conscious packaging and practices, so we can shop soundly, knowing that our steps towards sustainability are taken care of in more ways than one.
And then there’ s the great outdoors. Blessed with a 350-mile stretch of scenic coastline, award-winning beaches and picturesque inland lakes and rivers, Kent is as much a place to experience adrenalin-fuelled watersports as it is to boost your serotonin with a walk amongst our forests, woodland and vast open countryside. Whatever outdoorsy means to you, be it an educational excursion, a creative escape, sports- both on and off the water- exciting adventure trails, or a simple stroll to relax amongst acres of green space, Kent has it all.
As the oldest county in the country, it stands to reason that Kent also boasts a rich history and long-standing affinity with golf; a legacy dating back over 100 years and a pastime that it would be criminal to ignore. With over 80 golf courses spread across England’ s garden county, Kent boasts courses with magnificent views across bucolic countryside, as well as a host of coastal courses that encompass everything from white chalk cliffs and the English Channel to panoramic seascapes.
From premier championship links, inland layouts, downland and parkland tracks, several of the county’ s premier courses have been designed by leading course architects including James Braid and Harry Colt, and feature in some of the world’ s most prestigious competitions including The Open, which has been held at St George’ s in Sandwich.
Welcome to our Grown, Made, Played special feature- believe or not, we’ ve only just scratched the surface.
www. insidekent. co. uk • 71