The garden at Emmetts Garden

The bluebell bank at Emmett Garden in Kent, in full bloom — Bluebells at Emmetts Garden | © National Trust Images/David Sellman

With different areas of the garden, and far-reaching views, there’s always something new to see here. This Edwardian garden has plenty of secrets to reveal including a Rose Garden, Rock Garden and water features.

Spring at Emmetts Garden

Emmetts Garden is renowned for its marvellous spring colour each year, from the sea of English native bluebells to the 80 species of rhododendron. Around every corner the beautiful blooms are filling the air with sweet scents and blushes of colour.

The tulip meadow is a spectacle of spring colour with up to 7,000 bulbs planted every year. The tulips sit underneath the beautiful cherry blossom trees in a display of red, pink and black. Tulips also bloom in the Rock Garden, where other smaller flowers, including the pasque, are also coming into colour.

Seek out the handkerchief tree, which is named for the drooping white bracts that come out in late spring and give the appearance of hanging handkerchiefs.

Bluebells at Emmetts Garden

Spotting bluebells is one of the best things about a spring walk and Emmetts Garden doesn't disappoint for this. The woods have even been designated a SSSI (Site of Special Scientific Interest) due to the English native bluebells that bloom here.

Every year the hillside is smothered with the nation's favourite wild flower, creating a truly beautiful spectacle. Please take care to stay on the paths to avoid damaging the flowers; each damaged bluebell takes between four and six years to regrow.

Bluebell season is very popular at Emmetts Garden and car parking space can be very limited, particularly at weekends. For a calmer experience you may wish to visit on a week day.

Seasonal highlights

A taste of spring at Emmetts Garden

The tulip meadow

The tulips at Emmetts Garden are a sight to behold, with thousands of blooms spreading colour and joy.

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Discover the different parts of Emmetts Garden

The Rose Garden

The Italianate rose garden, with its abundance of pink and white blooms, is the only formal part of the garden at Emmetts.

Look out for the pink Octavia Hill roses as you step down into the garden; named after a founding member of the National Trust, these were planted in 2012 to commemorate the 100th anniversary of her passing.

Moving around the fountain you’ll discover a border bursting with English Miss roses. This border was recently replanted with the same varieties chosen for this space by the garden’s founder.

Just some of the other varieties of roses on show are the dainty rosa bonica and the fragrant rosa Katherine Zeimet.

The Rock Garden

One of the first major areas of the garden that you come to is the Rock Garden. This garden is home to a wonderful variety of alpines and English hardy species, alongside a lily pond. Winding paths allow you to explore this unique part of the garden.

The North Garden

Discover splashes of colour along the winding paths as you explore this garden. You won’t be able to miss the Wedding Cake tree, whose unusual branches grow in horizontal tiers and resemble the structure of a wedding cake.

The South Garden

This part of the garden is home to an impressive collection of hardy exotic trees and shrubs, including four handkerchief, or dove, trees. These are named for their white blooms, which have the appearance of fluttering dove wings or handkerchiefs hanging down from the branches. One of the handkerchief trees is an original specimen, dating back more than a hundred years.

The Discovery Cabin

Make your way through Emmetts Garden to the Discovery Cabin to pick up a potted history of this special place. Inside you’ll find quotes, memories and digital replicas of black and white photography from the garden’s early days.