Riverhill Himalayan garden, Kent

Hidden in a verdant valley in the Weald of Kent, Riverhill is a garden with a long history. Its creator, John Rogers was a botanist and a founding member of the RHS, and also a friend of Charles Darwin. In 1840, he set his eyes on this picturesque corner of Kent which offered perfect conditions to grow the then newly discovered rhododendrons from seeds sent back by plant hunters. In Spring their twisted trunks are topped by flamboyant blooms. They are combined with maples and azaleas whilst in the upper part of the garden, a chestnut wood is carpeted with a sea of bluebells from which emanate an intoxicating scent. The gardens suffered from neglect towards the end of the last century but the Rogers family, who still owns Riverhill, have recently undertaken a vast programme of restoration. The walled garden offers spectacular views across the landscape and now features curved grassy terraces, reminiscent of the Himalayan cultivation terraces. These contrast with the white vertical trunks of the silver birch trees dotted around. A potager has also been built in the upper part of the walled garden. Further down, the Edwardian rock garden has been brought back to life and is now filled with various ferns, their fronds slowly unfurling and clumps of wild garlic are dotted here and there.