insideKENT Magazine Issue 48 - March 2016 | Page 75
Hoath House
Goodnestone Park
Canterbury Cathedral
March is a great time to shake off the winter and
get out to one of the 20 garden openings this
month. Godinton House, near Ashford, is open
on 6th March (and again on 20th March) – a
perfect destination for Mothers’ Day. Hoath
House, in the beautiful countryside near
Edenbridge, is open 7th and 8th March for
daffodils with teas on the terrace. Goodnestone
Park near Canterbury is open 20th March where
you can stroll through the walled gardens and
woodland walks. Celebrate Easter weekend with
a visit to Cobham Hall near Rochester and Mere
House near Maidstone open Monday 28th March
for daffodils and teas. Many more March openings
can be seen on the ngs.org.uk website.
April is a wonderful month for days out to Kent’s
open gardens. Many grand estates open their
gates: Godmersham Park (3rd April) Hole Park
(10th April) Lords (17th April) Doddington Place
(20th April) Sissinghurst (24th April) Riverhill
Himalyan Gardens (26th April) and Great Maytham
Hall (27th April). Riverside gardens opening include
Parsonage Oasts (3rd April) and Watergate House
(23rd April) Plantaholics will flock to Frith Old
Farmhouse on 24th April and Copton Ash on
10th April to see rare alpines and spring bulbs.
May sees an explosion of 44 gardens openings
in Kent. This is a good time to get the kids out
for woodland walks and a run on sweeping lawns.
Try Ladham House and Stonewall Park on 8th
May, Chartwell on 11th May, and Doddington
Place and Torry Hill on 15th May. For a special
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private view of Canterbury Cathedral’s gardens,
mark Sunday 29th May in your diary. Many of
the gardens, as well as providing teas, sell plants
propagated by the garden owner and there is
always a rush for the plant stall. See the ngs.org.uk
website for details of the many other National
Gardens Scheme openings.
The National Gardens Scheme, with the support
of its hardworking garden owners and volunteers,
raised over £2.6 million for caring charities last
year, including Macmillan Cancer, Marie Curie,
and Hospice UK. The garden owners are looking
forward to your visits and know you will enjoy
the peace and beauty of Kent’s gardens this
spring.