Rolvenden's Hole Park Gardens was awarded the accolade of Kentish Garden of the Year 2016, on September 15th at an award ceremony held at Hadlow College, organised by Kent Life magazine in association with Visit Kent - the first occasion that such an award has been made.
Edward and Clare Barham, the award winning gardens owners, said: “We are delighted to be the winner of this very special award from Kent Life and Visit Kent. 2016 is the Year of the Garden and for Hole Park to be considered the best in Kent is great news.”
Hole Park Gardens, renowned for their year round interest including bluebells, beautifully clipped topiary and great yew hedges, have plenty of surprises for visitors at this time of year including the opportunity to admire a flower unique to Hole Park, the spectacular late flowering agapanthus ‘Hole Park Blue’.
The 16 acre gardens include a vibrant exotic border, providing colour and interest until the gardens close at the end of October. The mature trees and Japanese Maples also provide striking autumn colour around the gardens and woodland.
Visitors can enjoy the pretty circular walk which takes walkers on a woodland path to a renovated Ice House, a 1740’s construction which was used to store ice long before the days of refrigeration. When the ice was cut and stacked it would last for up to three years in this cool environment.
Open on Wednesday and Thursdays until the end of October visitors can also enjoy additional Sunday opening on 2nd, 9th, 16th, 23rd and 30th October 2016. The gardens are open from 11am to dusk.
Admission to Hole Park is £7 for adults and £1 for children.
Light lunches, afternoon tea and homemade cakes are available in the coach house when the gardens are open. There is also a plant stall selling a varied selection of plants to take home. Jam, preserves, beer and apple juice made on the Hole Park Estate are also available.
For more information on Hole Park Gardens, please visit www.holepark.com or call 01580 241344.
< Back to the newsHole Park is a family owned estate which has been in the Barham family for the past four generations. Formalised gardens combine with natural woodland. These...
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