DAYSOUT
Darling Buds of May cont... abundant planting reflecting the romance of her life’ s writings. Famously the epitome of an English garden, Sissinghurst is renowned for its beauty and diversity, with formal designs and exuberant planting throughout. In the spring, snowdrops and yellow winter aconites soon make way for the pink shoots of golden peonies and classical daffodils.
A path which bypasses the rose and cottage gardens, the Lime Walk is bordered by masses of bulbs that flower in the springtime, creating a stunning tapestry of colour best enjoyed in the months of March, April and May. Even more popular this time of year, Sissinghurst’ s orchard of 1,100 fruit trees create a canopy of blossom, with the cherry blossom trees at the east end being an absolute must-see for visitors. A season where the garden comes to life with Vita and Harold’ s vision, spring is the very best time to enjoy all that Sissinghurst Castle Garden has to offer.
Penshurst Place and Gardens, Tonbridge penshurstplace. com
Located within the idyllic Weald of Kent, this 800-year-old estate is both picturesque and steeped in literary history, with Penshurst Place once being home to one of the Jacobean era’ s most renowned writers, Lady Mary Wroth. A noblewoman and poet of the English Renaissance, she was the first woman writer in the country to have published an original work of prose fiction: The Countess of Montgomery’ s Urania.
Within its 48 acres of grounds and 11-acres of Grade I listed gardens, spring at Penshurst features arrays of gorgeous daffodils and bluebells that cluster everywhere from the orchard to the garden rooms. From late May to early June, their 100-metre-long peony border will also bloom into colour, unveiling four stunning hues of pink peonies including Monsieur Jules Elie, Albert Crousse, Lady Alexander Duff and Sarah Bernhardt. With new plantings for 2025 including sakura cherry trees within the picnic area and roses across both the long border and remarkable rose garden, there has never been a better time to visit.
Hever Castle and Gardens, Edenbridge hevercastle. co. uk
A double-moated, 14th-century castle with over 600 years of history, Hever Castle is set within some of Kent’ s most breathtaking gardens and grounds. With a quintessential English rose garden filled with over 5,000 flowers, a Pompeiian wall and classical statuary in the Italian Garden, there are plenty of sights to enjoy. Overlooking the 38-acre lake, visitors can marvel at the many grottoes, cascades and fountains, as well as wander further afield to the peaceful woodland. There, visitors will find the Anne Boleyn
Walk, where an impressive collection of 100-year-old trees provide shade from the warmth of the sun.
Hever Castle’ s curatorial team work tirelessly with specialists to preserve the gardens for future generations, which were originally laid out between 1904 and 1908 by Joseph Cheal and Son. Including features such as the half moon pond, formal Loggia Fountain and the recentlybuilt water maze, Hever Castle boasts one of Kent’ s best landscaped gardens.
Riverhill Himalayan Gardens, Sevenoaks riverhillgardens. co. uk
Renowned for its expansive views across the Weald of Kent and its beautiful historic gardens, Riverhill has been home to the Rogers family since 1840. With over 12 acres to explore, their gardens feature everything from woodland paths to contemporary sculptures and plenty of benches for moments of contemplative quiet.
Manicured to perfection, each of their wooded, walled and rock-filled garden areas are ideal for enjoying the growing warmth of spring, with carpets of bluebells as well as their prized rhododendrons and azaleas being seasonal favourites. Many of these were brought back from the Himalayas by the original plant-hunters and the Wood Garden is the best place at Riverhill to revel in their majesty this May. With a fun and creative programme of drop-in events throughout the season for guests to enjoy- all included in their entry price- it’ s worth checking what’ s in the diary on their website. Plus, if you head to Riverhill Himalayan Gardens on 7 May, all entrance takings will be donated to the National Garden Scheme.
Goodnestone Park House and Gardens, Dover goodnestonepark. co. uk
Inherited by Brook and Margaret Fitzwalter in 1955, Goodnestone Park’ s gardens were in a state of neglect after being requisitioned by the army during the Second World War. With the help of their head gardener and a number of volunteers, the gardens have been renovated and redesigned to feature herbaceous borders, stately trees, a pictorial meadow and a greenhouse nursery for propagating new plants. Sustainable gardening is at the core of the Goodnestone estate, with their team promoting wildlifefriendly practices and sustainable gardening through initiatives such as making their own composts from kitchen waste, avoiding the use of insecticides or fungicides and growing vegetables in the walled garden using no-dig methods.
During their day out, visitors can enjoy some quality homemade food at the Old Dairy Cafe before enjoying picturesque views from the parterre and terrace then basking in the serenity of the woodland garden. A true haven for nature lovers, this 15-acre estate
60 • www. insidekent. co. uk