From secret places to wooded areas, the National Gardens Scheme has been opening the door on gardens you might not normally see for 90 years.

As the Garden of England, Kent has many to contribute to the scheme and with its two Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty, the Kent Downs and the High Weald, its landscape lends itself to plenty of breathtaking views too.

But it’s not just the well known places you’ll see – the beauty of the scheme is that visitors get to look at private back gardens, carefully tended by green-fingered homeowners.

There is everything from the grand to the petite, a garden for everyone on offer including Leeds Castle, Penshurst Place, Quex Gardens, Chartwell and Scotney Castle as well as private addresses all over the county.

Regulars opening their gates include Sissinghurst Castle Garden, featuring the world famous garden of Vita Sackville-West, Ightham Mote, Great Comp Gardens and Lullingstone Castle, home of Tom Hart Dyke’s World Garden.

More than 100 gardens are opening throughout 2017 under the scheme.

Thirteen are newcomers, including Kingsnorth Primary School in Ashford, which opens to visitors on Sunday, June 25.

THE HISTORY

Back in 1927, garden owners were asked to open their gardens for “a shilling a head”.

Many people paid the princely sum, leading to more than £8,000 being raised by 609 gardens.

By 1931, there were more than 1,000 private gardens opening, raising funds for retired nurses and investing in nursing training.

It wasn’t until the 1970s that the entrance fee for gardens was raised above a shilling.
In 1980, the National Gardens Scheme Charitable Trust was established as an independent charity. Since its foundation, the National Gardens Scheme has also donated more than £45m to beneficiaries – £2m within the last 10 years, for nursing and caring organisations.

THE GARDENS

A garden grown out a love and fascination for plants, Copton Ash in Ashford Road, Faversham, opens on Sunday, March 12 between noon and 5pm for the scheme. There are species raised from wild seed, woodland flowers and flowering trees. It will also be open on Sunday, March 26.

A small, romantic cottage garden with a steep hillside entrance, Yew Tree Cottage in Penshurst opens on Sunday, March 12 between noon and 5pm, and again on Wednesday, March 22. It has lots of hidden corners and seats, as well as a small pond, spring bulbs and special perennials.

Look out for the opening of the Secret Gardens of Sandwich at The Salutation for the scheme on Wednesday, March 29. You can see the three and a half acres of ornamental and formal gardens designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens in 1911, the lake, woodland and gardens which provide all-year-round colour, owned by Gogglebox’s Steph and Dom.
They will be open between 10am and 5pm and there will be unusual plants for sale.

For details of all gardens open visit ngs.org.uk You can search by county to find a garden near you.