The Gardens at Chartwell

One of the first areas you will come to is in fact made up of several different elements from Golden Orfe ponds to the old swimming pool, all connected to each other by the water.

September sees the last of the roses begin to fall, but Clementine's garden remains a spot of quiet contemplation. Designed by Clementine's close friend and cousin Venetia Montagu, the outer borders will be bursting with autumnal highlights such as the scarlet smoke weed and dazzling pink nerines

As the weather cools and the leaves turn, the terrace lawn is the perfect place to watch the seasons change. Enjoy the last of the sunshine as it lights up the woodland across the lakes, autumn painting the trees red and gold. The early-birds might even be able to catch the mystical sight of the morning fog sitting above the water, or out across the Weald of Kent.

'Tis the season of the pumpkins (and squashes) in the Walled Garden. Our gardeners grow a wide variety and create an unmissable display of all the wonderfully different shapes and sizes to be found. Autumn is also a great time of year for other root vegetables such as parsnip and potatoes. Take a look at our donation stand and see what produce we have on sale for you to take home.

Running down the centre of the Walled Garden is one of the most romantic features of Chartwell - the golden rose avenue. It was first planted in 1958 as a gift to Winston and Clementine for their golden wedding anniversary from their children. Even when they're not in bloom, you can still find depictions of each variety in the beautiful album of golden rose paintings found in the dining room.

Take a look at some of the behind-the-scenes work our outdoors team gets up to all across not just Chartwell but the surrounding West Kent countryside that we care for as well.

Want to know what's out right now in the Chartwell gardens? Discover our top seasonal highlights for what is in bloom for you to see, we'll keep updating this list as the year goes on as they emerge, so check back soon.

On your visit, why not collect the Chartwell guidebook from our Visitor Centre or shop? Read about the fascinating history of house and gardens as you make your way around on your visit, or take it home as a wonderful memento of your trip to Chartwell.

The woodland at Chartwell transforms into a fiery landscape as the leaves turn an array of ambers, reds and yellows before falling. Look out for autumnal fungi, such as the fly agaric with its distinctive red cap and white spots and enjoy the crunching of leaves underfoot.

Here at Chartwell, we love dogs. Bring your furry companion along on a short lead for a stroll around the gardens or go for a roam in the woods. Find out more about where you can and can't take your dog here.

We're currently in the middle of a long-term project to restore a meadow down in the apple orchard and in front of the studio at Chartwell, encouraging wildflowers and nature back to our gardens.

The garden team at Chartwell recently began work to restore the wide views over Kent that inspired Churchill to buy Chartwell back to the front of the house. With the new plants now in place, the hard work is already paying off.

Thanks to your support (and by drinking lots of coffee!) we’ve been able to restore the greenhouses at Chartwell and get them working more efficiently – with better sustainability – than ever.

The connection between Chartwell and butterflies is a long one, starting with Sir Winston Churchill’s love of the small creatures and one we still continue here today.

Chartwell is a great place to find a wide range of wildlife with different habitats for different animals, insects and birds. Check out our list to discover some of these species living here today.

Stroll around the gardens at Chartwell and you may spot an unusual sight on our lakes. Black swans, originally native to Australia, have called this hillside haven home since 1927, once looked after by Churchill and now by the National Trust.