The garden at Emmetts Garden

A view across the rose garden at Emmetts Garden in Kent covered with a white frost — The rock garden at Emmetts Garden covered in frost | © National Trust Images/Rachael Warren

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.

Winter at Emmetts Garden

Blow away the cobwebs and enjoy a winter wonderland, with frosty days bringing sparkle throughout the garden. From the evergreen pine and spruce trees dominating the landscape to far-reaching views out across the Weald of Kent, there’s plenty to see during the colder months. Here are some winter hightlights to look out for:

Prickly heath bush

The bright pink berries of this South American tree provide a welcome shock of colour, and the birds love them too.

Impressive evergreens

Look out for the Blue Atlas Cedar, a unique-looking Brewer's Spruce and Emmett's monkey puzzle trees.

Winter roses

Although mainly summer flowers, some of the roses in the Rose Garden can flower right at the end of the year in an unexpected display.

Snowdrops

These first signs of spring are always a delight to see as the new year settles in.

Winter walks around Emmetts Garden

Grab your winter coat, pull on your boots and enjoy the fresh, crisp air on a walk at Emmetts Garden. Don’t forget to head up to the Old Stables Tea Room for a hot drink to take away – perfect for warming your fingers.

The views from the garden alone are well worth making a visit for. The lack of leaves on the trees means more and more viewpoints open up over winter.

Coppice clearings

If you venutre into the surrounding countryside, keep an eye out for the coppice clearings created by the busy ranger teams.

Without the coverage from the trees, the sun can now reach the undergrowth, encouraging new wildflowers and shrubs to grow. Keep checking back to see how the undergrowth evolves over warmer months too.

Seasonal highlights

Don't miss these winter wonders.

An image looking out over the rose garden at Emmetts Garden in Kent with a dusting of white frost over the ground and a stone fountain in the centre surrounded by pruned rose bushes — The rose garden at Emmetts Garden in Kent covered in a dusting of frost | © National Trust Images/Rachael Warren

Winter roses

Some types of rose can flower three times: early summer, late summer and right at the end of the year. Although they’re not guaranteed to bloom in winter – it depends on the weather – it's a wonderful winter treat if they do.

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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 rose garden at Emmetts Garden covered in a layer of frost — The rose garden in the frost | © National Trust Images/Rachael Warren

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.