Nettlestead Place

To the east of the house is a fine gravelled terrace overlooking a daffodil lawn and small man-made canals fed from the pond. This leads to a natural valley where it is intended to construct a glen garden using streams and small water falls.

To the north of the house is a small square garden divided into four by boxwood and yew hedges, containing herb and salad gardens and soft fruit for use in the kitchen.

To the west of the pond garden is an extensive rose and herbaceous garden centred around a 300 year old lime tree. It is planned to add many more varieties and species of roses to this garden by removing the herbaceous borders to a specially selected formal area of the gardens further south and west. At the north end of the rose garden is a small intimate woodland area with many varieties of shade-loving plants.

To the south of the pond and rose gardens, the garden is dominated by an area of four recently planted island beds, the largest of which is some 1000 square metres in area, containing an extensive range of plants, trees and shrubs.

The garden as a whole is on many levels, being on a slope leading down to the River Medway. The features of the gardens have been planned to provide specific vistas of open countryside beyond, and views of the house, gatehouse and adjoining church.

Ragstone walls have been re-built and new walls made, and together with established hedges of beech, box and yew, make fitting places for narrow borders of ground-cover plants especially the many varieties of hardy geranium. The walls themselves support a range of unusual tender plants and climbers.

Other developments are planned, including a glasshouse for the growing of more tender species.