An award-winning pub and hotel is hosting an exclusive garden tour and tasting lunch.

As part of the National Garden Scheme, The Pig at Bridge, near Canterbury, is welcoming visitors for a one-off tour led by head gardener Ollie Hutson.

The pub, which opened in 2019 after a £8 million refurbishment of the former Bridge Country Club, will start off the day with tea, coffee and pastries.

The kitchen garden team will then take visitors around the site and show off the pub’s homegrown produce, including the fruit cages and mushroom house.

You can then take a seat in the kitchen garden and enjoy a lunch of freshly-cooked flatbreads topped with ingredients from the garden and some refreshing cold drinks.

The tour takes place on Wednesday, September 18 from 10.30am. You can book here.

If you can’t wait until then, the NGS has some more late summer gardens opening earlier in the month that are well worth a visit…

THE COPPER HOUSE, Benenden

The Copper House is a newly built copper-clad building surrounded by a beautiful modern flower garden. There’s also a small wildflower meadow, an orchard and ponds to encourage wildlife, and the nearby woodland ponds are only a short walk away. It’s all dog friendly, so you can bring the whole family - even the pooch.

Details: Sunday, September 8 from 11am to 3pm. Entry costs £5, book online here.

RAMSGATE GARDENS

Explore the front gardens of 12 stunning Regency and Victorian villas that make up Vale Square. The nine bow-fronted listed Regency townhouses make up one side of the square, while the Victorian buildings with a communal garden inspired by London residences make up the other side. Two other gardens, 12 West Cliff Road and 104 Grange Road - where you’ll find raised beds, chickens and a workshop serving cake and drinks - are also part of the group.

Details: Sunday, September 8 from 12pm to 5pm. Entry costs £5, book online here.

THE SILK HOUSE, Paddock Wood

The two-acre grounds at the Silk House include a picturesque Japanese garden with koi, wildlife ponds, large bamboos, bonsai, topiary and rare evergreen trees. This spot is very quiet and peaceful, however there’s a busy kitchen garden, apiary and woodland walk nearby.

Details: Sunday, September 8 from 11am to 5pm. Entry costs £10, book online here.

SISSINGHURST CASTLE GARDENS, near Cranbrook

One of Kent’s most-visited gardens, Sissinghurst was created by Vita Sackville-West and Harold Nicholson in the first half of the 20th century. Since then, it has remained a hotspot for nature lovers and garden enthusiasts, with its old garden roses, ancient oak trees and orchard. Visitors can also admire the Elizabethan tower, see the on-site exhibitions and enjoy a picnic in the vegetable garden.

Details: Sunday, September 8 from 11am to 5.30pm. Entry costs £17.60, book online here.

You can find the full list of open gardens on the National Garden Scheme website.