Many different soils cross the county in narrow bands,
creating varied landscapes. In the south-east, the wooded and
sheltered valleys of the High Weald are thronged with fine trees,
and are England's easternmost outpost for many moisture-demanding
conifers. Another sandy outcrop, the Lower Greensand, encompasses
a great concentration of notable gardens, while the northern
fringes of the Downs also provide outstanding growing conditions.
By contrast, exceptional trees are almost absent from the clays
of the Low Weald, and from the bleak and windswept northern levels.
Details
N.B. (PR) Private Residence. (NGS) National
Garden Scheme. (NT) National Trust. (NTS) National Trust Scotland.
(EH) English Heritage. (NR) Nature Reserve. (PU) Public Access
- (check for opening times). |
| Bedgebury Forest, Goudhurst.
FC. Forest plots of many rare taxa were established from 1929 to
1970, and mostly blown down in 1987. |
| **Bedgebury
National Pinetum, Lady Oak Lane, Goudhurst. (PU) FC;
open daily. Established by the Royal Botanic Gardens from 1921
in the grounds of Bedgebury House as a home for conifers then
being killed by air pollution at Kew, and now probably the largest
assemblage of temperate conifers in the world. National collections
of Juniperus, Taxus, Thuja, Leyland Cypresses and Lawson Cypress
cultivars. |
| Bedgebury Upper School, Goudhurst (PR)
The original gardens of Bedgebury House. |
| Beech Court, Challock Lees (PR)
Open most days in summer. A woodland garden established in the
1940s high on the North Downs. |
| Benenden School, Benenden (PR)
Old parkland and a Victorian pinetum. |
| Boughton Place, Boughton Monchelsea (PU)
The gardens are regularly open. |
| Bushy Ruff Wild Park, Kearsney,
Dover (PU) Public park. |
| Chilham Castle, Chilham (NT)
Open most days in summer; historic gardens. |
| Cobham Hall School, Cobham (PR)
Open sometimes. Rare trees have been grown here since the 16th
century |
| *Collingwood
Grange, Benenden (PR) The garden until his
death at 101 of the noted Cherry expert Collingwood Ingram; occasional
open days. |
| Dane John Gardens, Canterbury (PU)
Public park |
| Doddington Place, Doddington, Sittingbourne (PR)
Garden regularly open. |
| Godinton Park, Ashford (PR)
Ancient parkland; the garden opens most days in summer. |
| Great Comp, Platt, Borough Green (PR)
Open daily in summer. Large garden created since 1957 by the late
Roderick Cameron. |
| Hadlow College, Hadlow (PR)
The Broadview Gardens open most days in summer. |
| *Hall
Place, Leigh, Tonbridge (NGS) Check for open
days. A magnificent Victorian garden set in old parkland. |
| *Hever
Castle, Hever (PU) Open daily through summer.
Spectacular Edwardian gardens. |
| Howletts Zoo Park, Bekesbourne,
Canterbury. (PU) Open daily. One of the largest Sweet
Chestnuts, 'the Howletts Chestnut' (E of House, on private lawn;
2000). |
| *Knole
Park, Sevenoaks. (NT) Deer park (open access)
with very tall native trees; garden open regularly.ys. |
| *Leeds
Castle, Leeds, Maidstone (PU) Open daily. Many fine
trees. |
| Littlehall Pinetum, Little Hall
Wood, Tyler Hill, Canterbury (PR) The remains of one
of the most ambitious Edwardian pineta. |
| Loose church. (PU) One
of the largest Yews (SW of church). |
| Lullingstone Park. Swanley (PU)
Country Park; ancient pollards. |
| *Mote
Park, Maidstone. (PU) Historic public park
with large and rare trees. |
| Riverhill House, River Hill,
Sevenoaks (PR) Regularly open. A notable Victorian woodland
garden (much damaged in the 1987 storm). |
| Rookery Wood, Penshurst. (PU)
St Clere Pinetum, Kemsing Edwardian pinetum high on the North Downs.
(St Clere House in the valley below, with further rare plantings,
opens under the NGS.) |
| Scotney Castle, Lamberhurst (NT)
Open most days through summer. |
| Torry Hill, Milstead, Sittingbourne. (NGS)
Check for open days) |
| Ulcombe church. (PU)
One of the largest Yews (SW). |
| Viceroys Wood, Penshurst. (PU)
Penshurst Off-Road Cyclists' Club; open access. The Seven Sisters
Chestnut. |
