Emmetts Garden's collections
Explore the objects and works of art we care for at Emmetts Garden on the National Trust Collections website.
History of Emmetts Garden
- Expert curated
Emmetts Garden was the vision of Frederic Lubbock (1844–1927), a wealthy banker and passionate horticulturist. Shaped by the ideals of the Arts and Crafts movement and influenced by the landscape designer William Robinson, Lubbock created a garden that reflected his love for rare plants from around the globe.
Origins
While Emmetts Garden as we know it today began with Frederic Lubbock in the 1890s, the site itself has a longer history. The name Emmetts is believed to derive from the Old English word æmette, meaning ‘ant’, a reference to the site's original use as pasture and farmland. The land likely formed part of the rural hinterland of the Weald, an area historically known for small-scale agriculture, hop-growing, and timber production. By the mid-19th century, the Emmetts estate had evolved into a gentleman's country residence, typical of the Victorian upper classes who sought retreat in the countryside.
Garden of the World
Frederic Lubbock acquired the Emmetts estate the in early 1890s, at a time when British horticulture was increasingly shaped by global exploration and the commercial networks of empire, a context to which his own background was closely connected. He came from a prominent and well-connected family: his brother, John Lubbock (later 1st Baron Avebury), was a distinguished banker, Liberal MP, and a key figure in Victorian science and public life. A close friend and neighbour of Charles Darwin in nearby Downe, John Lubbock made lasting contributions to archaeology and anthropology, coining the terms 'Palaeolithic' and 'Neolithic', and played a leading role in the introduction of the Ancient Monuments Protection Act of 1882.
Frederic Lubbock followed the family tradition into banking, amassing a personal fortune that enabled him to acquire Emmetts and pursue his horticultural interests. Like many of the leisured elite of his time, his ability to create a garden of global scope was underpinned by wealth linked to Britain’s imperial economy and financial institutions.
Lubbock’s planting at Emmetts reflected both horticultural ambition and a thoughtful response to the natural character of the site. Influenced by his friend William Robinson, one of the leading figures in late 19th-century garden design and owner of Gravetye Manor, Lubbock adopted a more naturalistic style. Rather than relying on formal bedding schemes, he created distinct areas within the garden that followed the contours of the land and celebrated seasonal change.
This philosophy was particularly visible in the South Garden, which was planted with rare and unusual species, especially from East Asia, arranged to take full advantage of the sunny, south-facing slope and wide views over the Weald.
Robinson’s books The Wild Garden (1870) and The English Flower Garden (1883) were hugely influential in encouraging a move away from rigid Victorian planting. For Lubbock, it was Robinson’s Alpine Flowers for English Gardens (1870) that had the greatest impact. He became particularly interested in alpine species and how they could be grown successfully in the English climate. Robinson even quoted Lubbock in the 1903 edition of Alpine Flowers, noting his advice on the careful placement of rocks to support alpine plants:
A few large weathered stones, judiciously placed, look well, and are often of advantage in giving a plant the aspect that suits it… There are many disappointments in growing alpines, as with everything else, but they afford a constant and daily interest, and given a breezy open situation and a deep light soil, there should be many more successes than failures.
A quote by
To the north, what had once been a shrubbery was reworked to include a variety of growing conditions, from damp areas ideal for moisture-loving plants to drier, sheltered spots where Japanese maples could thrive. Between 1910 and 1920, Lubbock added a formal Italianate Rose Garden for his wife, Catherine (1850–1934). Its symmetrical design and long views across the valley brought a sense of classical order to the garden, offering a striking contrast to the more naturalistic planting elsewhere.
Emmetts and China
Most notable among the species Lubbock introduced to Emmetts were trees and shrubs from China, including the rare Davidia involucrata (dove or handkerchief tree), prized for its distinctive white bracts. Such specimens became fashionable in 19th-century Britain as interest in East Asian flora grew.
This interest coincided with a period of profound political and economic change in China. Longstanding restrictions on foreign trade were disrupted following the First Opium War (1839–42), a conflict sparked by British efforts to maintain the opium trade. After military defeat, the Qing dynasty was forced to sign the Treaty of Nanjing, which ceded Hong Kong to Britain and opened several ports to Western commerce under unequal terms.
Increased access to Chinese territory enabled not only the movement of goods but also the extraction of cultural and natural resources. Plant collectors, working alongside merchants and missionaries, were active in gathering botanical specimens for European nurseries and institutions. One of the most prolific of these was Ernest Wilson, who collected over 1,800 plant species during his early expeditions in China. Working for Veitch Nurseries, then the leading British horticultural firm with operations in Exeter and Chelsea, Wilson helped introduce many ornamental species to Britain’s gardens.
Tulips and Seasonal Planting Traditions
Tulips at Emmetts have long been associated with Prunus ‘Fugenzo’, a Japanese flowering cherry species under which they were traditionally planted. Prunus ‘Fugenzo’ holds particular significance as the first Japanese flowering cherry introduced into the United Kingdom, brought back by Ernest Wilson in the early 1900s.
This design dates to at least 1910 and is confirmed by early stereoscopic glass slides. The intention was for tulips and cherry blossom to flower simultaneously, a tradition that continues today. The slides also confirm the original meadow location and colour palette of pink, red, and black.
Emmetts and its neighbours
Emmetts was part of a wider network of country estates in the Weald of Kent that shared similar horticultural fashions in the early 20th century. Ghent azaleas, popular among Edwardian gardeners, survive both at Emmetts and at the former site of Weardale Manor, once the home of Lord Philip Stanhope. Gardeners working in the area have suggested that these plants may have been shared between the two estates during Frederic Lubbock’s lifetime. Although this connection cannot be confirmed, their survival offers a rare glimpse of the region’s early ornamental woodland gardens.
Charles Boise and the next chapter of Emmetts
After Frederic Lubbock’s death in 1927, Emmetts was bought by Charles Watson Boise (1884–1964), an American-born geologist and mining engineer. Drawing on his scientific background, Boise introduced new plantings such as Cornus kousa and sequoias grown from seed sent from Germany, while preserving much of Lubbock’s original layout. With his wife Hazel (1888–1983), he expanded the rock and azalea gardens and retained Lubbock’s head gardener, George Taylor. Later, George Joy succeeded Taylor and continued at Emmetts after its transfer to the National Trust, ensuring remarkable continuity in the garden’s care.
According to oral tradition recorded by later head gardener George Joy, Boise filled in the ponds after his experiences with malaria during his years working overseas. He disliked roses, and during his time the Italian garden was left unplanted for this reason. A keen golfer, he even created a small course behind the rock garden. Despite these personal touches, Boise maintained Emmetts as a refined and well-kept country garden until his death in 1964.
Boise’s professional life unfolded within the global mining and industrial networks that shaped the early 20th century. He worked for Forminière, a Belgian-American company engaged in diamond extraction in the Congo following the territory’s transition from the personal control of King Leopold II to formal administration by the Belgian state in 1908. While the administrative framework had changed, colonial mining enterprises such as Forminière continued to operate within structures shaped by imperial influence and overseas investment. Like many geologists and engineers of the time, Boise developed his career within these wider patterns of international industry and colonial rule.
The war years
During the Second World War, Emmetts remained in private ownership under Charles Watson Boise and was not requisitioned for military use. The estate lay within a strategically significant area. Nearby Ide Hill hosted a radio jamming station that helped disrupt German Knickebein navigational beams during 1940. Searchlight units were also positioned along the ridge as part of the region’s air defence. On 18 August 1940, a German bomber was shot down over Ide Hill, crashing in woodland near the village and not far from Emmetts Garden. Although the surrounding area experienced bombing, Emmetts itself was not directly damaged.
Emmetts under the National Trust
In 1964, Charles Watson Boise gifted Emmetts to the National Trust, ensuring its long-term protection and continued care. Under Trust ownership, the garden’s character was carefully preserved, with gardeners maintaining the rock and azalea plantings established by Boise and Lubbock.
Through the latter half of the twentieth century, Emmetts remained a much-loved hillside garden, known for its seasonal colour and far-reaching views across the Weald. Each spring, the surrounding woodland becomes a sea of native bluebells (Hyacinthoides non-scripta), one of the most striking displays in Kent. These ancient woodland flowers are now recognised as an important part of the garden’s natural heritage and contribute to the site’s designation within a wider Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI).
The Great Storm of 1987 and looking ahead
In October 1987, Emmetts Garden suffered extensive damage during the Great Storm, which destroyed approximately 95% of its surrounding woodland. Despite this devastation, key specimens, including the dove tree, were salvaged. The tree was winched upright and continues to thrive today.
There were trees sticking up like totem poles. For the first few weeks [after the storm], we had two foresters out with a chainsaw clearing the main drive all day long.
A quote by
Nearby Toys Hill also suffered heavy losses. In the years that followed, the storm-damaged woodland naturally regenerated and became a designated Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), now recognised for its value as a thriving wildlife habitat. Over time, however, dense holly and invasive non-native species such as rhododendron ponticum and cherry laurel began to limit biodiversity.
To address this, the National Trust is implementing a ten-year woodland management plan that will selectively thin around 30% of the woodland. This work will remove much of the birch regrowth that followed the storm, open the canopy to light and air, and allow surviving veteran trees to thrive. These actions aim to restore a balanced ecosystem and secure the long-term resilience of the landscape for future generations.
Further reading
-
The Victorian Garden (2012) by Caroline Ikin.
-
First China War | National Army Museum, accessed 1 October 2025.
You might also be interested in
Our work at Emmetts Garden
Take a look behind the scenes at Emmetts Garden in Kent and discover the work that goes into keeping this special place looking its best.
Volunteer at Emmetts Garden
Help us look after this special place by volunteering your time and skills. Make new friends, learn about the estate and share your passion for gardens with people from all walks of life.
The garden at Emmetts Garden
Find a garden area to suit your taste here at Emmetts Garden. With different and diverse designs, and views that are always impressive, there's something to see at any time of year.
Family days out at Emmetts Garden
Enjoy family-friendly fun and outdoor play at Emmetts Garden, all set against a backdrop of a glorious Edwardian garden, on one of the highest points of the Kentish Weald. Invent a game to play in the meadow with inspiration from our toy cupboard, explore the wild play area near the Tea Room or come along for Easter Adventures.
History
Learn about people from the past, discover remarkable works of art and brush up on your knowledge of architecture and gardens.
Gardens and landscapes
Discover more about the history of the plants, gardens and landscapes in our care.
