March 31, 2023

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Is this Britain’s most beautiful garden to visit?

Is this Britain’s most beautiful garden to visit?

Photo credit: White Garden. National Trust Images/Andrew Butler
Photo credit: White Garden. National Trust Images/Andrew Butler

From Country Living

A tiny village in Kent is home to one of the most famous gardens you can visit in Britain – and arguably the most beautiful. Sissinghurst Castle Garden is an English country garden dream, complete with glorious displays of plants and secret garden-style nooks.

VISIT SISSINGHURST WITH CL

Designed by poet Vita Sackville-West and Harold Nicolson who moved here in 1930, the gardens of Sissinghurst Castle were completely transformed from a space to grow vegetables for farm workers to the series of ‘rooms’ filled with various planting schemes we see today.

Photo credit: Hearst Owned
Photo credit: Hearst Owned

The bold and bright Cottage Garden with its hot colours and the White Garden, which has inspired countless imitations, are just two of the garden’s highlights that you can explore during an exclusive after-hours tour with garden designer Sarah Raven next summer.

Reflecting the romance and intimacy of Vita’s poems and writings, Sissinghurst Castle Garden’s ‘rooms’ are heralded for their beauty and diversity.

From carpets of bluebells in spring to fiery reds and yellows taking over the South Cottage garden, there are always beautiful corners to explore.

The best time to visit Sissinghurst Castle Garden

While spring, autumn and winter bring their own unique delights, it’s in the summer that the gardens really come to life.

Photo credit: National Trust Images/Andrew Butler
Photo credit: National Trust Images/Andrew Butler

May sees the irises begin to bloom, followed by the bright colours of the rose garden that take centre stage in June. The rose garden was one of Vita’s favourite ‘rooms,’ which writer Anne Scott-James once described as “one of the finest collections in the world”.

In July, the magnificent White Garden reaches its peak. Vita loved the single toned garden, with its display centring around huge clusters of small white flowers tumbling over the arbour.

Photo credit: National Trust Images/Andrew Butler
Photo credit: National Trust Images/Andrew Butler

Expect to see Rosa mulliganii, white gladioli, white irises, white pompom dahlias and white Japanese anemones.

Visit Sissinghurst Castle Garden’s highlights plus more when it’s closed to the public for an evening talk from one of Vita and Harold’s grandchildren, plus a three-course dinner, next summer.

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