DAYSOUT
Darling Buds of May cont...
© Ailison Miles
DODDINGTON PLACE GARDENS HOLE PARK GARDENS the little ones at Walmer Castle, there is a natural play trail throughout the woods for children to explore. After traversing the grounds to your heart’ s content, The Glasshouse Cafe offers a picturesque respite of outdoor seating, with delicious sandwiches, snacks and afternoon teas on the menu.
Doddington Place Gardens, Sittingbourne doddingtonplacegardens. co. uk
Surrounded by wooded countryside in the North Downs countryside, Doddington Place Gardens has welcomed natureloving visitors for over 50 years in aid of the National Gardens Scheme. Most spectacular in May and June, their woodland garden includes a blooming display of rhododendron and azalea varieties across three acres of deep acid loam kept hydrated by underground springs. Many acid-loving trees also call the woodland gardens their home, neighboured by bulbs and herbaceous plants, with the most recent addition being the delicately scented magnolia wilsonii.
With over 10 acres to explore, Doddington also features a spacious Edwardian rock garden with herbaceous borders and a stunning sunken garden, as well as a pond and folly walk. The latter is a spring garden at its best in April and May, underplanted with hundreds of tulips as well as malus, magnolia and betula varieties. Designed by Richard Oldfield as a memorial to his first wife Alexandra, the folly provides a, eye-catching respite within Doddington Place Gardens that you won’ t want to miss.
Hole Park Gardens, Rolvenden holepark. com
One of Kent’ s most beloved country house gardens, the 16 acres of Hole Park have been cared for by the Barham family for four generations. With far-reaching views over the fields of the Kentish Weald, the gardens are an artful combination of formal design and naturalised planting dappled with vibrant colour across all seasons. In May, Hole Park is adorned with rows of tulips, roses and clematis, with the vineyard garden displaying an impressive array of wisterias for visitors to admire. Typical springtime blooms such as bluebells, camellias and magnolia also carpet the gardens, and, in the meadows alongside the architectural spires of Hole Park, delicate wild orchids flower in the spring sunshine.
Hole Park Gardens and its tearoom are open daily until 30 June, with events taking place such as their Summer Plant Fair on 1 June, and a history tour of the estate with Edward Barham on 16 May. With tickets including tea or coffee beforehand, a guided tour of Hole Park’ s history and all-day access to the gardens, this personal experience is the best way to explore one of Kent’ s most stunning gardens.
Sissinghurst Castle Garden, Cranbrook nationaltrust. org. uk
Transformed by the prolific poet and writer Vita Sackville-West alongside her husband Harold Nicolson in the 1930s, Sissinghurst Castle Garden is an architectural marvel of colourful and
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