Old Bladbean Stud, Elham & Godinton House, Ashford
Join us for a fascinating exploration of two contrasting Kent gardens, each the creation of a talented and free-thinking designer.
Our first stop is Old Bladbean Stud, a 3-acre garden designed and maintained solely by Carol Bruce, who describes it as ‘an ornamental ecosystem in which a wide range of pollinator-friendly perennial species grow as self-sowing populations, fully exposed to natural selection with no watering, fertilizer or treatment for pests and diseases.’
Working within these constraints, Carol has created five enchanting interlinked gardens: a romantic walled rose garden with over ninety old-fashioned rose varieties, a tranquil yellow and white garden, a pair of 300-foot colour-schemed symmetrical borders, a square garden with a tapestry of self-sowing perennials, and an organic fruit garden.
Astonishingly, Carol started out with no horticultural training or experience, but she is now regularly consulted by gardening bodies, including the RHS, for her insights into sustainable gardening. We are extremely fortunate that Carol herself will be leading us on a tour of the garden, talking us through her creative vision and maintenance techniques, and answering questions.
We then head to the coast for lunch and a breath of sea air at the Hythe Imperial Hotel.
After lunch, we move on to Godinton House, near Ashford, where we find a very different, more traditional approach to garden design. Surrounded by ancient parkland and enclosed by an immense yew hedge, these 12-acre gardens were designed in 1896 by leading architect of the time Reginald Blomfield, who is now chiefly remembered for designing new country houses and remodelling others, including Chequers and Lambeth Palace. He also created highly regarded gardens at Mellerstain House and Sulgrave Manor.
In opposition to William Robinson, who had been calling for a more natural, ‘wild’, style of gardening, Blomfield was unapologetically in favour of formal garden design, featuring terraces, parterres, statuary and clipped yew hedges. At Godinton, there are terraced lawns, an Italian garden, rose garden, lily pond, walled garden, topiary garden, fern and alpine house, wild area, and herbaceous borders.
The structure of these gorgeous gardens remains true to Blomfield’s vision, with the original features softened by later re-plantings. A senior member of the gardens team will give us an introduction to the history of the garden and its recent developments and will answer questions over tea and coffee before we leave.
Plants will be available for sale at both gardens.
This event has been organised by the Garden Museum’s Garden Visits Committee. We recommend you read our Garden Visits Attendee Charter and Refund/exchange policy before booking your place on any of our Garden Visits.
