Escape into some secret spaces

Get your green-fingered vibes this spring with the National Garden Scheme as sites reopen to visitors. Senior features writer Angela Cole finds eight to tempt you.

As we take baby steps back to normality, we don’t need to leave our new-found love of nature behind us. Last year, the pandemic saw the National Garden Scheme move online, with flower fans able to watch them bloom via video, but not in person, But now we can throw open the French doors and step outside into some glorious gardens across the county and get inspiration for our own, now that many of us have been bitten by the gardening bug in the lockdowns of the last year.

The National Garden scheme, which asks for all visits to be pre-booked in 2021, also raises funds for nursing and health charities. We’ve found eight to visit across Kent...

1 The Silk House, Paddock Wood

Partly Japanese influenced the garden has Koi and wildlife ponds, as well as unusual evergreen trees and bamboos, a small woodland walk and a kitchen garden. The two-acre garden is opening for the NGS for the first time this year on Saturday, April 10 and Sunday, April 11 from 10am to 3.30pm.

2 Hole Park, Rolvenden

The 15-acre garden surrounded by parkland with beautiful views and contains fine yew hedges, large lawns, pools and mixed borders is well known for its bluebells in the woodland walk, wisterias and orchids. It will open in aid of the NGS on Sunday, April 11 between 11am and 6pm. Pre-booking is not essential.

3 Frith Old Farmhouse, near Faversham

This garden has been developed over 40 years and embraces the wilder side of gardening life letting neat edges and formal beds give way to interesting and unusual plants. The natural gem at Otterden, near Faversham, has areas for wildlife and special interest in bulbs and woodland plants. It will be open for the scheme on Sunday, April 11 between 11am and 5pm.

4 Copton Ash, Faversham

The garden at Ashford Road, Faversham, has grown out of a love and fascination for plants. It contains a varied collection, some of which have been raised from wild seed. It also has plenty woodland flowers, snowdrops and hellebores, as well as flowering trees and shrubs in spring. There is also a small alpine nursery. It will next open on Sunday, April 11 from noon until 5pm.

5 The Knoll Farm, Aldington

The 10-acre woodland garden at Aldington, near Ashford, has more than 100 camellias, as well as a bluebell wood and views across Romney Marsh. You’ll feel as though you are in an oasis of countryside as there’s a flock of Jacob sheep around the lake - you can even take a picnic to enjoy by the lake. It will next be open under the scheme on Saturday, April 10 between noon and 5pm.

6 Bilting House, near Ashford

The six-acre garden with a ha-ha is set in part of the Stour Valley. You’ll see a wide variety of rhododendrons, azaleas and ornamental shrubs and can stroll along the woodland walk with spring bulbs. There is also a rose garden and herbaceous borders. It will next be open on Saturday, April 17 and Sunday, April 18, between 1.30pm and 5.30pm both days.

7 Bishopscourt, Rochester

The residence of the Bishop of Rochester, this is a mature one acre historic walled garden in the heart of Rochester. It has mature trees, lawns, yew hedges, a rose garden, fountain, mixed herbaceous borders and a greenhouse next to a small vegetable garden. It is child friendly and will next be open on Saturday, April 17 between11am and 3pm. There will be homemade teas on sale.

8 Goddards Green, Cranbrook

The five-acre gardens surround a clothier’s hall which is thought to be at least 500 years old. Laid out in the 1920s and redesigned since 1992, it combines traditional and modern planting schemes. There is a fountain, water garden and fern garden, mixed borders of bulbs, perennials, shrubs, trees and a pond and kitchen garden, plus a mature orchard. Goddards Green will next open to the public for the NGS on Sunday, April 18 from noon to 4pm.

NGS DETAILS

For the majority of gardens in this year’s National Garden Scheme, visitors must pre-book online. For opening times and to book, go to ngs.org.uk and search at Find a Garden.

2 You can visit Hole Park Gardens in Rolvenden for the NGS

Bishopscourt is home to the Bishop of Rochester 7

Goddards Green is packed with history 8

Camellias can be seen at Knoll Farm in Aldington 5

6 You’ll be able to see colourful displays of rhododendrons

3 There’ll be sights to capture at the county’s gardens

1 The Silk House garden is opening for the first time

4 You can see a display of hellebores at Copton Ash