The grey days of January are perfect for planning summer trips and Secret Gardens of the South East has got me itching to explore. Despite spending my early years in Kent, I’ve visited few of the gardens and it’s obvious I’m missing out.
While Great Dixter and Sissinghurst are obvious destinations (Fergus Garrett of Great Dixter writes the foreword), Barbara Segall’s latest book brings some of the lesser known gardens into the spotlight – and there are some tempting suggestions. (You can read my review of her book on East Anglian gardens here.)
(I was given a copy in return for a fair review.)
Of course, as she says in her introduction, the three counties are known as ‘the garden of England’ so it’s little wonder that the book is full of beautiful spaces.
Among them are those created by some of our leading horticulturists, including Gravetye Manor, designed by William Robinson and long on my must-see list; Long Barn, Vita Sackville-West’s first garden; and Munstead Wood, home of Gertrude Jekyll.
Others were influenced by top designers, such as Sussex Prairie Garden whose owners worked for two years with Piet Oudolf. Sweeping planting, blocks of colour and a rhythmic feel to the borders are this garden’s standout features.
The gardens covered are varied. Arundel Castle is 40 acres of large scale planting – 36,000 flowers in the annual Allium Extravaganza – whereas 87 Albert Street in Whistable is just 45ft x 13ft but still packed with interest. Along with Balmoral Cottage in Benenden, which was created using donated plants, cuttings and by recycling things from reclamation yards, it proves that deep pockets are not essential when making a garden.
There are snippets of history – the literary and royal connections of Restoration House in Rochester – planting inspiration, such as the Long Border at Town Place in East Sussex, and moments of envy, including looking at the views from Malthouse Farm Garden, which is cleverly designed to make the most of them.
Secret Gardens of the South East doesn’t follow a geographical route but meanders through the featured counties. Barbara gives a detailed ‘tour’ of each garden with her descriptions backed up by photos by Clive Boursnell. Although the entries are not ‘interviews’ with the owners, there is enough input from them to give a sense of their aims and gardening style – the owners of 87 Albert Street dub dealing with vigorous plants ‘thug-wrangling’ while the creator of White House Farm describes his woodland area as a “plantsman’s playpen”.
There’s a caveat in the introduction that not all the gardens are “secret or unknown in every sense of the word”. It’s qualified with the observation that “until you visit them their special attributes are not revealed”. It’s something I’m hoping to put to the test.
Secret Gardens of the South East by Barbara Segall is published by Frances Lincoln, photos by Clive Boursnell, with an RRP of £22. You can buy it here for £16.59 (If you buy via this link, I receive a small commission. The price you pay is not affected.)
Top photo: Long Barn, Kent. Copyright Clive Boursnell.
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