Kent – The Garden of England

Dazzling colours, seductive scents, superb planting - the gardens in Kent are rightly world-renowned. This tour includes some of the finest private and historic gardens where owners past and present have created with great passion, dedication and inspiration.

The Chilston Park Hotel near Lenham is a Grade 1 listed Manor House with its original features and classic interiors, past owners have included MPs, writers, Lords and Viscounts and it is now a luxury 4 star hotel set in 22 acres of parkland and grounds. The comfortable courtyard bedrooms and those in the new wing of the house are a blend of the contemporary and the traditional.

Monday 8 June: Check into the Chilston Park Hotel from 3 pm. Welcome drink followed by dinner.
Tuesday 9 June: Great Dixter, Hole Park, Great Maytham Hall
This visit to Great Dixter is taking place before the garden opens to the general public. Christopher Lloyd devoted his lifetime creating one of the most dramatic and experimental gardens of our time, his work continues to go forward in the hands of head gardener Fergus Garrett and his team. (Extensive nursery for plant buying!) A short drive to Hole Park – owned by the same family for four generations, this extensive 15 acre garden is both formal with mixed borders, walled gardens and pools but also surrounded by classic parkland with beautiful views.  Lunch will be provided in their tea rooms.  Great Maytham Hall – remodelled by Lutyens in 1909.  This is the original Secret Garden of the much loved children’s classic written in 1911 where the walled garden, inspired Frances Hodgson Burnett’s story, remains if slightly altered but as atmospheric as ever. Long formal lawns and ponds lead through into the formal walled garden filled with roses, wisteria and a colourful planting scheme.

Wednesday 10 June: Kenfield Hall, Old Bladbean Stud Garden, Godinton Park.
Kenfield Hall has an evolving eight acre garden with fantastic views of the surrounding landscape in an area of AONB.  An historic arboretum, C18 formal sunken garden, a Japanese garden, herbaceous borders and wildflower meadow.  Old Bladbean Stud is hidden among the labyrinthine lanes of southeast Kent.  Owner Carol Bruce has created a garden from scratch on three acres of rough grassland, with a romantic walled rose garden, yellow and white garden, 90m-long double mirrored borders and a square garden framed by beds of blended pastel shades. Voted “The Nation's Favourite Garden in the Southeast”.  A light lunch will be provided locally.  Godinton Park a “true Jacobean-cum-Victorian” style house is surrounded by the splendour of a park laid by Blomfield with fabulous and extensive gardens renowned for its fantastic delphinium collection.

Thursday 11 June: Check out of the hotel before morning visits to Nettlestead Place and Eagleswood.
The 13^th century manor house at Nettlestead is surrounded by a ten acre plantsman’s garden. Formal rose gardens, large herbaceous island beds, woodland garden, sunken pond garden and recently planted garden of succulents.  Finally, Eagleswood near Lenham – this is a plant enthusiast’s garden – many unusual trees and shrubs, herbaceous plants and woodland plants - rich tapestry of colour, texture and botanical interest. Refreshments before dropping either at Lenham Station or back to the hotel.