You’re spoilt for choice when it comes to beautiful gardens to visit whilst staying at The Old Engineer. West Kent and the surrounding High Weald are home to some of the finest gardens in the country, from world-famous historic gardens to smaller, more intimate gardens packed with plants and ideas.
Whether you are a serious gardener or simply enjoy spending a few hours somewhere beautiful and relaxing, these are five gardens we think are well worth visiting during your stay.
1. Sissinghurst Castle Garden
Sissinghurst has to be at the top of our list.
Probably one of the world’s most famous gardens, Sissinghurst Castle Garden was created by writer and gardener Vita Sackville-West and her husband Harold Nicolson from the 1930s onwards.
The couple transformed a neglected garden into a series of beautiful garden rooms, each with its own character, planting and colour scheme.
The garden is particularly special because of the contrast between Vita and Harold’s approaches to gardening. Harold favoured structure and formal design, while Vita created abundant, romantic planting. Together, they produced a garden that still feels remarkably individual today.
Take your time exploring the different garden rooms and make sure you climb the famous tower for the wonderful views across the surrounding Kent countryside. Also don’t miss out on the vegetable patch which is in the field the other side of the barns.
Now owned by the National Trust, the gardens attract visitors from all over the world.
Our verdict: Sissinghurst is a must-see during your stay at The Old Engineer.
2. Scotney Castle
Scotney Castle offers something quite different from Sissinghurst.
This National Trust property is famous for its romantic garden surrounding the ruins of the original medieval castle. The combination of ancient stone ruins, water, woodland and planting creates a wonderfully atmospheric setting.
You can explore the gardens, visit the castle ruins and discover the later Victorian country house. The landscape has been carefully designed so that you encounter new views and perspectives as you walk around.
A visit to Scotney doesn’t necessarily need to take a whole day, making it an easy garden to combine with other attractions in the area.
Our verdict: Well worth a visit, it’s also only 15 minutes from us, so easy to combine with somewhere else. Best time of year to visit is in late spring/early summer when the roses are out and clambering over the old castle.
3. Great Dixter
Okay, Great Dixter isn’t actually in Kent – it’s just over the border in East Sussex.
But we couldn’t possibly leave it off our list. Great Dixter is our favourite gardens, a must to visit. It can be a bit marmite as the plants are allowed to sprawl over the paths latter in the season and some think it messy. I love the way the planting is allowed to thrive without excessive preening which can be the case in National Trust gardens.
Great Dixter was the home of celebrated gardener and garden writer Christopher Lloyd. Today, the garden continues to be developed under the guidance of Fergus Garrett, who worked closely with Christopher Lloyd. It’s owned by The Great Dixter Charitable trust which is also involved with training gardeners globally.
It is a garden full of ideas, colour and exuberant planting. It feels less like a garden that you simply look at and more like one that you experience.
The planting is bold and experimental, with unexpected combinations of plants, colourful borders, meadows, woodland and beautifully maintained areas around the historic house.
If you enjoy gardening, you will find plenty of inspiration. Even if you aren’t a keen gardener, Great Dixter is simply a wonderful place to wander around.
Our verdict: Go! Don’t let the fact that Great Dixter is in East Sussex put you off. We think it is well worth the trip.
4. Great Comp Garden
Great Comp Garden is a beautiful seven-acre garden near Sevenoaks. One of its highlights is its fabulous collection of salvias. The garden is now owned owned by Great Comp Charitable Trust and also home to Dyson’s Salvia Nursery and the with the gardens managed by Willian Dyson.
The garden combines colourful planting with woodland, an Italian Garden and romantic ruins, making it an enjoyable place to explore.
There is also a café, so you can easily make a relaxed afternoon of your visit.
Our verdict: A lovely garden for plant lovers, with the added temptation of buying some of the plants you have just admired.
5. Pashley Manor Gardens
Pashley Manor Gardens is another beautiful garden just over the Kent border in East Sussex, at Ticehurst.
It is particularly well known for its spectacular tulip displays, making spring an especially good time to visit.
The garden has a lovely mixture of formal and informal planting, with plenty to discover as you wander through the different areas.
Pashley Manor also works particularly well as part of a day out. You could combine your visit with Batemans, the former home of Rudyard Kipling which is close.
Our verdict: A beautiful garden and particularly worth visiting for the tulips. Combine it with Batemans for a great day out.
Which garden should you visit?
The great thing about staying at The Old Engineer is that you have so many beautiful gardens within easy reach.
If you only have time for one, Sissinghurst is an obvious choice. But if you have several days, we would encourage you to visit as many as possible.
And don’t overlook Great Dixter simply because it is across the border in East Sussex. It is our favourite garden and one we think is well worth making the journey for.
From world-famous Sissinghurst to the romantic ruins of Scotney Castle and the exuberant planting at Great Dixter, there is plenty here to keep garden lovers coming back.
After a day exploring gardens, return to The Old Engineer and relax in the peaceful Kent countryside – the perfect base for exploring this beautiful part of the country.