From Saturday 26 March 2016, the beautiful Hole Park Gardens in Rolvenden, Kent will be opening its gates to visitors every day. These beautiful gardens are one of the Seven Wonders of the Weald, as well as being one of the best places in Kent to enjoy a bluebell walk.
Hole Park’s circular woodland walk through 10 acres of woodland takes visitors through a sea of bluebells and past some magnificent rhododendrons. Visitors can also see an intriguing solar powered renovated ice house, before continuing into the impressive Garlic Valley with its shimmering haze of silvery white flowers. Seats along the way are perfectly placed to pause and take in the beauty and incredible scent of the bluebells and wild garlic.
During spring, Hole Park’s website has up to date information on the best time to visit and experience the bluebell spectacular.
As well as Hole Park’s stunning bluebell wood, the 16 acre gardens will delight visitors all year round. In May, thanks to an ambitious bulb planting programme last year, visitors can enjoy swathes of dark purple tulips ‘Queen of the Night’ in the rose garden and long borders. The pretty vineyard garden is worth a visit at the same time as it has the most unusual standard wisterias. A walk through the sundial garden leads to a striking new allium walk. Impressive rhododendrons and azaleas flower throughout the gardens in May when the wild orchids will start to flower in the meadows.
The delightful spires and star-shaped flowers of ‘camassia’ will provide summer colour in the policy area and the wide herbaceous borders come to life with asters, chrysanthemums and geums. The sundial garden provides plenty of interest with fuchsia and clematis. The late flowering agapanthus and exotic border take centre stage in late summer before the reds, yellows and golds of autumn bring interest during October.
A new border near the house will feature the rose ‘Blue Moon’ planted with a double row of sun loving and fragrant Lavender varieties Gros Bleu and Sussex. The camellia walk has also been extended with winter and spring plants including epimediums, pulmonaria and brunnera.
A circular network of hard paths enable visitors of all ages, including those with disabilities, to explore the gardens. Wheelchairs may be reserved free of charge and there are full disability WC facilities.
Light lunches and delicious homemade cakes are available in the coach house where apple juice, local beer and homemade jam and honey produced from the Hole Park Estate can be purchased. There is also a small plant stall next to the coach house.
There is a dedicated tea room for groups, free parking for cars and coaches and conducted tours can also be arranged for groups by prior arrangement.
Admission: £7.00 for adults and £1 for children. The gardens are open 11am to 6pm.
< 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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