It’s not without reason that Kent is known as the Garden of England. With its fruit-laden orchards, hop fields, vineyards and good fertile earth, this little corner of England has given rise to more than its fair share of green-fingered delights. Sissinghurst, of course, is renowned the world over. But there are many other garden gems here that deserve to be better known.

So, with the summer upon us and the borders groaning with blooms, we celebrate six of the best as part of the 2016 Year of the English Garden – all just a short drive (or even a long walk!) from our cluster of gorgeous Kentish cottages.

1 Goodnestone Park

© Goodnestone Park Gardens

Visitors to Goodnestone are often surprised to discover such a haven of tranquility hidden away in south east Kent. The gardens here have been created by generations of the FitzWalter family who have lived here since building the house in 1704. However, it’s only in the past 40 years, under the magic touch of consummate plantswoman the late Lady FitzWalter, that the gardens were elevated to their present glory. Highlights include the romantic Walled Garden, the very essence of Englishness with its billowing borders and framed vistas of the church, and the extensive Woodland Garden laced with winding paths and studded with exotic shrubs including scented daphnes and waxy hydrangeas. A more recent addition is the cutting edge Gravel Garden, at its best in late summer and early autumn. Goodnestone was the childhood home of Elizabeth Brook Bridges, who married Jane Austen’s brother, Edward. Jane visited often and it was after one visit that she began Pride and Prejudice – now there’s inspiration for you.
Find out more: Goodnestone Park Gardens, Goodnestone, Kent CT3 1PL
Where to stay nearby: Yew Tree in the pretty hamlet of Barfrestone is just four miles away.

2 Penshurst Place

Penshurst Place © Darryl Curcher photography

With records dating back to 1346, the gardens at Penshurst Place are among the oldest in private ownership, with a devastating beauty to match their age. There are 48 acres of grounds surrounding this castellated medieval mansion, tucked into the Kentish weald. Around the house, an incredible one mile of yew hedging divides the gardens into a series of ‘rooms’, each with its own season and colour. Among them are the formal Italian Garden, Rose Garden and the striking Heraldic Garden, while a highlight for July visitors is the Union Flag Garden, created from roses and lavender in 1984 to mark the anniversary of the death of Sir Philip Sidney, whose family have lived at Penshurst for 400 years. On top of this there’s an orchard, lake, nature trail and children’s play area up for exploration, as well as the house itself, where Henry VIII famously courted Anne Boleyn, making this a packed day out for big kids and little kids alike.
Find out more: Penshurst Place , Penshurst, Kent TN11 8DG
Where to stay nearby: The Granary, Hever (7 miles); 1 School House Cottages, Horsmonden (16 miles).

3 Leeds Castle

Lady Baillie Garden by the Great Water © Leeds Castle

No castle enjoys a more romantic setting than Leeds Castle in Kent. Rising from a tranquil moat, the castle was the residence of six medieval queens and much of the interior reflects that era. The castle grounds span 500 acres and are stunningly beautiful, with miles of walks revealing panoramic castle vistas. Star of the outdoors in the summer is the cottage-style Culpeper Garden with its paths lined with box, riotously planted with old roses and massed herbaceous perennials. There’s also the Lady Baillie Mediterranean terraced garden with sub-tropical plants as well as the famous yew maze leading to a secret underground grotto. On top of this are ferry rides on the Great Water, punting on the moat, a land train, free flying falconry displays, a Go Ape! experience and a programme of special events. Making for a different experience every time you visit.
Find out more: Leeds Castle, Maidstone ME17 1PL
Where to stay nearby: Manor Farmhouse in Milstead is just 7 miles away.

4 Hever Castle

The Italian Garden © Hever Castle

If the ghost of Anne Boleyn still lingers anywhere, it is probably here, at Hever Castle, where she spent her childhood years before being wooed by, married to and finally beheaded by Henry VIII. This romantically moated 13th-century fortress is set in 125 acres of glorious grounds. Marvel at the Pompeiian wall and classical statuary in the Italian Garden; admire the giant topiary chess set in the Tudor Garden; breathe in the heady fragrance of over 4,000 roses in the English Rose Garden; or lose yourself in the three mazes. The Loggia, overlooking the 38-acre lake, is the perfect spot to relax before exploring the many cascades, grottoes and fountains while, further afield, you can enjoy walks alongside streams and through peaceful woodland.
Find out more: Hever Castle, Hever, Edenbridge, Kent TN8 7NG
Where to stay nearby: The Granary is located down a country lane just one and a half miles away in the village of Hever.

5 Pashley Manor

© Pashley Manor Gardens

It’s the meticulously maintained plantings set against the backdrop of the old mellow-brick manor house and the gorgeous countryside views that make this garden really stand out. No wonder it’s a past winner of the Historic House Association Garden of the Year award! Set in East Sussex, right on the Kent border, it’s a garden packed with inspiration and attention to detail. Lose yourself in the sweeping herbaceous borders of the old walled gardens, ogle at the genius in the productive kitchen garden, stroll along the rose-lined walks and drink in the vistas of the lakes and old moat, complete with classical temple. Carefully placed sculptures all around (many available to buy) make Pashley a photographer’s dream.
Find out more: Pashley Manor Gardens, Ticehurst, East Sussex TN5 7HE
Where to stay nearby: 1 School House Cottages, Horsmonden is 10 miles away.

6 Groombridge Place

Groombridge Place by grassrootsgroundswell

A particularly good choice for families, Groombridge not only boasts beautiful formal gardens, clustered round the old moated manor house, but also an ‘Enchanted Forest’ where the kids can let off some serious steam! Begin in the gardens, whose series of ‘rooms’ include a Knot Garden, complete with giant chess set, Oriental Garden, White Rose Garden and the wonderfully named Drunken Garden, a favourite of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Don’t miss the Secret Garden, a tiny hidden corner where the waters of the stream splash by as they feed the moat. Then on up to the Enchanted Forest, on foot or by boat across the canal, where the kids can go wild in the tree houses and aerial walkways, set off on an adventure along the forest paths and make like monkeys on the giant tree swings and zip wire.
Find out more: Groombridge Place, Groombridge, Tunbridge Wells, Kent TN3 9QG
Where to stay nearby: The Granary, Hever (10 miles); 1 School House Cottages, Horsmonden (15 miles).