Garden Restoration Complete

The award-winning Secret Gardens of Sandwich are now fully restored to their Edwardian glory, following the completion of the 200-ft Long Border – a replica of Gertrude Jekyll’s own garden at Munstead Wood.

More than £2m has been ploughed into these magnificent gardens in Sandwich, Kent, and completion of the Long Border marks the final phase in a mammoth restoration project encompassing the entire 3.5-acres.

Most of the Long Border’s 2,500 annual plants were grown from seed by the Secret Gardens’ highly-skilled team of gardeners and planted using Jekyll’s original planting plan and include old-fashioned favourites, rarely seen in today’s finely-manicured gardens, such as gypsophila paniculata (baby’s breath) and antirrhinum (snapdragons).

The Secret Gardens were joint winners in the tourism and leisure category of the 2009 Kent Excellence in Business Awards and are open throughout the year, offering visitors an insight into gardening through the changing seasons.

More than 25,000 people visited the Gardens in the first half of 2010, enjoying the eclectic new gift shop and extended tea rooms. Attractions include the popular woodland walk, densely-planted bulb meadow, Yellow, White and Kitchen Gardens and the Tropical Border, with its range of rare and unusual species.

The classic English Tea Room offers a choice of light lunches and traditional cream teas, with melt-in-the-mouth home-made cakes – the perfect way to round off a delightful day!

The Secret Gardens are open from 10am, seven days a week throughout the year. Check the website for details of seasonal displays and special events. Coach operators should telephone 01304 619919 for rates and availability.