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| The County of Kent, England, is known as 'The Garden of England', renowned for its fertile soil producing an abundance of fruit, hops and cereals, also for being the gateway to the continent through the ports of Dover, Folkestone and the Channel Tunnel rail links. Welcome to our site based here in Maidstone with the river Medway running through the town centre, dividing the population of the county into Kentish Men, to the west and Men of Kent to the East. 'Gardenserve.com' intend to provide a site that is of interest not only to gardeners, but to those of you who wish to visit gardens, historic buildings, villages, towns and cities here in the Southeastern corner of the United Kingdom. This area includes, in the main, the counties of Kent, Surrey, Sussex and London. GARDENS TO VISIT Leeds Castle, Maidstone, Kent. Mentioned in the Doomsday Book of 1086,the Castle, set in 500 acres of parkland, has been a royal residence to six of England's queens and a palace to King Henry V111. Gardens are spectacular all year, but the spring display of daffodils and wood anemones, followed by azaleas and rhododendrons, is magnificent. Hever Castle, nr Edenbridge, Kent. Formal Italian gardens with statuary, sculpture and fountains; large lake; 'splashing' water maze; rose garden and Tudor herb and knot garden, topiary and maze. 120yds herbacious border. Romantic moated castle, the childhood home of Anne Boieyn, also open. Refreshments available.3m SE of Edenbridge, between Sevenoaks and East Grinstead. Signed from iunctions 5 and 6 of M25, from A21 and from A264. Adm Castle and gardens £8.80, Chd £4.80, gardens only £7, Chd £4.60. Open every day from March 1 to Nov 30 (11 -6 last adm 5, March & No v 11-4, Castle opens 12 noon) Ightham Mote, Ivy Hatch, Kent 14-acre garden and moated mediaeval manor c.1340. Mixed borders with many unusual plants; lawns; courtyard; orchard of Kent apples; water features incl small lake, leading to woodland walk with trees, rhododendrons and other shrubs. (TheNationalTrust) TEAS.6m E of Sevenoaks off A25 and 2&half m S of Ightham. Buses from rail stations Sevenoaks or Borough Green to Ivy Hatch, 112m walk to Ightham Mote. Adm 6.50 Chd £3.50. House and garden.(11.30-5.30 last admission 4.30pm) Knole, Sevenoaks, Kent. Deer park, landscape garden, herb garden. TEAS. Station: Sevenoaks. Well signposted. Adm Carpark £2.50.-garden £2 Chd free,- House £5 Chd £2.50 (11-4 last adm 3pm.) Goodnestone Park, Wingham, Canterbury, Kent. Connections with Jane Austen who stayed here. 10 to 12 acres; good trees; woodland garden, snowdrops, spring bulbs, walled garden with old-fashioned roses. Picnics allowed. TEAS (not in Feb, March). Village lies S of B2046 from A2 to Wingham. Brown tourist signs off B2046 say Goodnestone Park gardens. Adm £3.50 OAP £3 Chd (under 12) 50p (Disabled people in wheelchair £l). Suns April 1 to Oct 15 (12-6), Mons, Weds to Fris March 27 to Oct 27 (11 -5). Closed Tues and Sats. Great Comp, Borough Green, Kent. Skilfully designed 7-acre garden of exceptional beauty. Spacious setting of well-maintained lawns and paths lead visitors through plantsman's collection of trees, shrubs, heathers and herbaceous plants. Good autumn colour. Early 17th. cent. house (not open). TEAS on Suns, Bank Hols. (2-5).2m E of Borough Green. A20 at Wrotham Heath, take Seven Mile Lane, B2016, at lst Xrds turn R, garden on L half m. Adm £4 Chd £1. Open Suns in March and every day April 1 to Oct 31 (11-6). Yalding Organic Gardens, Yalding, Kent. Set in 6 beautifully landscaped acres. 14 individual gardens illustrating gardening through the ages, from mediaeval times to the present day, Incl 13thcent. apothecary's garden, paradise garden, Tudor knot, Jekyll borders, rare heritage vegetable varieties, composting and natural pest control displays, large pergola. TEAS.( Henry Doubieday Research Association). Benover Road. 6m SE of Maidstone, 1&half m. S of Yalding on B2162. Yalding served by buses from Maidstone and Tonbridge, railway station 1&half m. Adm £3 Chd under 16 free. Wed-Sun May to Sept,. weekends only during April and Oct. Also open Easter and all Bank Hol weekends. Sissinghurst Castle Garden, nr. Cranbrook, Kent. One of the country's most famous gardens,created by Vita Sackville-West and her husband Sir Harold Nicolson. The 'White Garden' is of particular interest, planted entirely with white leafed and flowering species. Parts of the 15th. cent. manor house are open to the public. £7 chd£2.50. Scotney Castle, Lamberhurst, Kent Famous picturesque landscape garden, created by the Hussey family in the 1840s surrounding moated 14cent. Castle. House (not open) by Salvin, 1837. Old Castle open May-midSept (same times as garden). Gift Shop. Picnic area in car park. Tea Lamberhurst. (The National Trust) On A21 London-Hastings, 1 & qtr. m S of Lamberhurst. Bus. (Mon to Sat) Tunbridge Wells-Wadhurst,. alight Lamberhurst Green. Adm £4.40 Chd £2.20,. March 4-March 26, Sats, Suns (12-4)April 1-Oct2, daily except Mons & Tues, but open Bank Hol Mons (closed Good Fri). Wed-Fri (11-6), Sats & Suns 2-6 or sunset if earlier,. Bank Hol Mons & Suns preceding (12-6). R.H.S. Garden, Wisley, Surrey. Acclaimed by gardeners throughout the world. Covering 240 acres, Wisley is a unique and enchanting place people return to time and time again. This beautiful Royal Horticultural Society garden was opened in 1904 and demonstrates more gardening techniques and styles than you could possibly wish for. Emmetts Garden, lde Hill, Kent. (The National Trust) 5-acre hillside garden, with the highest tree-top in Kent, noted for its fine collection of rare trees and shrubs; lovely spring and autumn colour. TEAS. 5m SW of Sevenoaks. 1& half m. S of A25 on Sundridge-lde Hill Rd. 1&half m N of Ide Hill off B2042. Adm £4 Chd£1. Finchcocks, Goudhurst, Kent. 4 acre garden surrounding early 18th.cent. manor, well-known for its collection of historical keyboard instruments. Spring bulbs; mixed borders; autumn garden with unusual trees & rare shrubs; recently restored walled garden. TEAS.2m W of Goudhurst, off A262. Adm £6 House & garden, £3 Garden, Chd £4 & £1. Suns Easter to Sept 26,. Bank Hol Mons, Aug every Wed, Thurs & Sun (2-6). | Where to go? Maidstone,Kent. The County town of Kent, with the river Medway running through its centre, has many attractions. These include the medieval Archbishops' Palace, the country's finest collection of carriages and a superb museum. Also visit Leeds Castle and 'Dickens' Rochester nearby. Canterbury, Kent. Famous for its Cathedral and for the charm of the narrow (mainly pedestrian) streets and period architecture. Contained within the city wall of less than a mile in diameter, it offers a pleasant environment in which to shop, look at the buildings, or to simply wander. Chichester, West Sussex. The cathedral city of Chichester is brimming with heritage and culture. Galleries, museums, the renowned Chichester Festival theatre, as well as events and festivities throughout the year provide a truly cultural experience. Nearby are the country estates of Goodwood, Uppark and Petworth. To the North lie the South Downs which are ideal for walking and to the South, Chichester Harbour with good yachting facilities and the scenic coast beyond. Visit the largest Roman Palace yet discovered in Britain at nearby Fishbourne. Tourist Information Centre Tel:(01243) 775888 Midhurst & Petworth, West Sussex. These two market towns are situated amidst the South Downs near Chichester and offer ample opportunity to get away from it all.The historic market town of Midhurst has a rich heritage of half timbered buildings, 17th and 18th Century houses, shops and pubs. On the outskirts of the town are the ruins of Cowdray Park(open all year) plus the famous polo grounds and a museum. Petworth is home to the 17th Century Petworth House, standing in a magnificent park of some 2000 acres. The town has many very old houses and an abundance of antique shops. There is rich variety of quintessential accommodation in the surrounding countryside, ideal for walking, cycling or horse riding, including Blackdown, rising to nearly 1000ft. London. A must for all visitors to the UK. and the Southeast (only 35 miles and 1 hour approx. from Maidstone). See Buckingham Palace, Tower of London, St. Paul's, Westminster Abbey, Houses of Parliament and Big Ben, to name a few of the historic buildings. Stroll through the beautiful parks St. James's, Hyde and Regents. On a wet day visit the museums, the Natural History, Science, British, Victoria and Albert, plus many more. Also the art galleries, Tate,National and Portrait. Eastbourne, Sussex. An elegant resort with stylish hotels framed by exotic and exciting floral displays lining the extensive Victorian promenades. There are numerous gardens and parks throughout the town and along the seafront towards the famous Beachy Head and Seven Sisters. Brighton and Hove. Sussex. Granted city status on December 18th. 2000. Once the home of George, The Prince of Wales, in the 18th. century. Brighthelmstone was the place to be for the Regency high society. The extravagant Royal Pavilion with its Indian Mogul-style domes and Chinese style interior is a must. The historic past is everywhere you look, from the seventeenth century Lanes, Victorian piers to Regency terraces and 30s mansion blocks. Anytime is right for a break here, early springs, warm summers and bright winters. A great range of accommodation is available with numerous restaurants and pavement cafes. Hastings and St. Leonards,East Sussex.Few towns in England have not quite such a fascinating past. From William the Conqueror to Queen Elizabeth 11, the centuries between have woven a rich tapestry of history for you to discover and experience. Miles of cliff top walks in the Country Park.Three miles of Sussex seafront with secluded beaches, rock pools and even a shipwreck, plus a host of attractions which include smugglers' caves, the first Norman castle and museums. Short break or holiday, you'll be assured of a great time. <a title="top 10 Google search engine ranking" href="http://websitesubmit.hypermart.net"><img src="http://websitesubmit.hypermart.net/b.gif" alt="free website search engine submission seo optimization" border=0 height=31 width=88></a> | |||||
| Derek Parkhouse Email:gardeners@aol.com Copyright © Derek Parkhouse 2010 | ||||||
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