Landscaped Gardens in Kent

In Kent, the Garden of England, there are a huge number of public landscape gardens. Whether you are looking for inspiration for your own garden or simply an enjoyable day out taking in the sights, sounds and smells, here, I will illustrate 4 of the best.

Chartwell House
2 miles south of Westerham, Kent, just off the B2026
Chartwell was Sir Winston Churchill’s family home between 1922 and 1965 and as such holds great history.

Highlights here include breathtaking water and rose gardens commissioned by the Churchills and a restored vegetable garden. Those interested in the history of the Chartwell are also catered for in the Churchill Museum room. There also features a large collection of Churchill paintings, memorabilia and photographs, unrivalled anywhere else in the world.

Edenbridge House Garden
Off the B2026, a mile and a half north of Edenbridge
Edenbridge House Garden is an absolute delight on a summers day. This beautifully landscaped garden is kept in immaculate condition by the team of landscape gardeners and features some of the best examples of Wisteria White Rain this writer has ever seen. The grass looks like it has been lifted straight from the fairways of Turnberry.

Also set in the gardens is a staple of this part of the country, a traditional Oast house. These houses are common around Kent, due to it’s history in beer making. The distinctive looking buildings were used for drying the hops used to make beer.

Squerryes Court
Westerham, Kent
This manor house was built c.1680 by Sir Nicholas Crisp and set in beautiful parkland. The land features a large lake, which is fed by natural springs and is a source of the river Darneth. Slightly larger than it’s natural state, the lake was expanded in c1731 by the Warde family who acquired the estate in the same year.

The Garden features immaculately landscaped flower beds and beautifully sculptured hedge rows, all of which have been recently restored.

Sissinghurst Castle Garden
1 mile east of Sissinghurst villag, Kent
The appearance of this garden is disturbingly close to how this author imagined the garden in Alice in Wonderland all those years ago. Fantastically well landscaped. Everything here seems overgrown buts still very organised. There are fantastically groomed trees reaching over 25ft.

The famous white garden displays a range of white blooms throughout the season. All carefully planned by the hard working and extremely talented team of landscape gardeners.

While you are at these gardens, take the time to identify what you like and what you are not so keen on. Try and add some of the elements to your own garden and see what a huge improvement a little work can achieve.