Find Spring Delights at Hole Park Gardens

Images and text copyright Alison Miles, reproduced with kind permission.

It may not feel like it at the moment, but Spring really is just around the corner and the first signs are already in evidence at Hole Park Gardens, Rolvenden, Kent, which opens for 2025 to visitors on Tuesday April 1st.

The 16-acres of private gardens, which lie a short drive from the historic market town of Tenterden and close to the pretty town of Cranbrook, are beginning to burst into a riot of Spring colour both formal and wild.

Visitors will find huge variety wherever they look in Spring - from pink magnolias and tree blossom to beds full of brightly coloured tulips to lawns dotted with crocuses and daffodils and banks of nodding fritillaries, not to mention the azaleas and rhododendrons in the woodlands beyond.

Nestled in the heart of the Weald of Kent National Landscape, these dog-friendly and spacious gardens are a hidden horticultural gem, which not only offer seasonal colour all year round but rare tranquillity - something which is regularly remarked on by visitors.

As well as room to roam, there is plentiful seating, carefully positioned for visitors to not only admire the gardens and spectacular views of the surrounding parkland but also to relax - reflecting the gardens' original purpose as a place for its creator, Colonel Arthur Barham, Great Grandfather of current owner Edward Barham, to find peace after the horrors and personal loss of the First World War.

The first displays of colour will be found in the Centenary Walled Garden, adjacent to the main house, which was re-designed in 2023 in celebration of 100 years since the gardens first opened to the public.

From here, wander across the lawns towards the Egg Pond and Yew topiary walks to find daffodils, crocuses and tulips emerging as well as camelias in bloom and plentiful tree blossom in the meadow that slopes towards the woods.

Hole Park's woodland garden will come to life with swathes of bright blue scillas while its many acres of woodland will be carpeted with wild primroses and wood anemones: the precursors to the emergence of the garden's renowned annual Bluebell Spectacular. This magical event attracts hundreds of visitors each year, eager to see one of Nature's most impressive shows, as the woodland floor becomes a sea of violet-blue from mid-April to mid-May.

The Hole Park website will provide a 'bluebell barometer' with regular updates about the maturity and development of the bluebells as they approach their peak. It will also carry an important message about how to respect and protect these fragile native flowers, as Hole Park's Head Gardener Quentin Stark explains:

"When people see bluebells in full bloom it can be more than tempting to just step into their midst to take that perfect photo. But trampling these delicate plants doesn't just spoil the view for others that year; it actually causes long-term and possibly irreparable damage to the bulbs beneath the ground, due to compacting the soil from persistent footsteps."

The Hole Park team has therefore come up with a plan to highlight the ideal spots where the best photos of the spectacular carpet can be safely taken without risking the health of the plants and the extensive display for years to come. Details will be available both on the website and at the garden entrance when visitors arrive.

A special 'Bluebells and Bubbles' evening woodland tour, led by Edward Barham and concluding with a glass of English sparkling wine and canapes, takes place at the height of the display. Early booking is recommended for this popular annual event.

As the bluebells fade, two new spectacles arrive. Firstly, the sides of the woodland valley are filled with a new sight - and scent - as the Wild Garlic comes into flower. Next, Hole Park's abundant wisteria will bloom, both beside the house and in the curved Vineyard Garden, adorning the pergola walk and impressive Standard Wisteria trees within.
 

This year's visitors will also be able to see the progress being made to re-model the Millennium Garden beside the house. This is being undertaken by the Hole Park Garden team and will include a new planting scheme around the Italian-style pond and access to the tropical border walk and adjacent wild flower and orchid meadow which develops in early Summer.

After exploring both gardens and woodland, visitors can stop at the Coach House Tea Room which will be open from 11am on all garden opening days, serving delicious light refreshments, lunches and afternoon teas, all featuring local produce. 

As well as the Bluebells and Bubbles evening, further special Spring events to look out for on the website are: a propagation gardening workshop, led by Head Gardener Quentin Stark; a Summer Plant Fair (1st June), and a guided history talk by Edward Barham, covering the fascinating history of the estate along with the Barham family's custodianship from 1911. Personal and group tours can also be booked by prior arrangement.

Visit www.holepark.com for full visitor information and discounted day tickets or, better still, invest in a season ticket for just £35 per Adult to enjoy the gardens until they close for the year in October.