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Nurseries In this beautiful part of Kent and East Sussex there are many small independent plant growers. Some produce a range of plants, others specialise in a particular group of plants. Some are attached to gardens open to the public, others tiny, hard to find small growers. A day trip into the country, taking in other interesting places and perhaps a picnic or a lunch in one of the many comfortable, historic pubs, many with their own gardens, is better than all that jetting off to crowded beaches, traipsing round piles of stones. No need to send off the animals, leave your summer garden to the hazards of non-gardening relatives or neighbours. No need to pack and fly. Although I cannot give any guarantees, these are nurseries that I would recommend from personal experience. They are ones that I visit regularly and from which I buy plants for myself. |
| Penhill Nursery - North Cray Road Sidcup Small nursery with a wide range of very good quality plants at low prices, bedding, pot and basket plants, fuchsias & geraniums, some perennials |
| Merriments
Gardens and Nursery - Hawkhurst Road, Hurst Green, East
Sussex.
Situated on the A229 just off the A21 ( left) at Hurst Green (There is a 'brown sign'). Open April-September 10am-5pm. (Tel: 01580 860666) I have, over the years found some unusual plants here and is on my regular visiting list. |
| Pashley
Manor Gardens Ticehurst, Nr Wadhurst, East Sussex,TN5
7HE Tel. 01580 200888
e-mail: pashleymanor@email.msn.com for leaflet with full details, opening times and special events. A delightful historic house and beautiful gardens in which are skilfully placed sculptures by John Brown, ARBS. Ample parking, Refreshments, plant sales and Special Events such as exhibitions and plant fairs. Well worth a visit throughout the spring and summer and well into the autumn.. |
| Broadview
- This is the garden design showpiece of
Hadlow Horticultural College, situated on the A26 between Tonbridge and
Maidstone in Kent. There is also an on-site nursery selling many of the
plants used. Open from April to October 10am -5pm every day. Adults
£2 Children under 12 Free. Well worth a visit.
Easy to get to from all parts of the South East, it shows lots of interesting design ideas and plants, as you would expect from a college teaching horticulture and garden design. |
| National
Garden Scheme Every year the NGS produces a
country-wide listing of all the gardens open to the public for their
charities. In addition the county organisations produce booklets of
local opening gardens. Many of these gardens have plant stalls, at
which you can pick up all sorts of 'treasures' for your garden. Not
only are they often very cheap, but the proceeds go to charitable
organisations.
The books are available in book shops and libraries, and the County Booklets are widely available from garden centres or : NGS Hatchlands Park, East Clandon, Guilford, Surrey. |
| NCCPG
- National Council for the Conservation of
Plants and Gardens.
The NCCPG encourages gardeners to take an active part in the conservation, propagation and distribution of good garden plants. They produce a leaflet with useful information on Nurseries in Kent Kent Area :- Executive Director: Rodger Bain:.......... |
| Plaxtol Nursery- The Spout, Plaxtol .Open every day- Alpines, heathers, grasses, roses, clematis, ferns, grasses, hostas, shrubs. (many shade lovers) Specialists in mature herbaceous perennials pot-grown on the nursery. |
| The Old Walled Garden Oxonhoath. Specialist in growing plants from Australia and New Zealand and holder of a national collection of Calistemon. Catalogue on request also has directions. difficult to find, but worth the effort. When I visited some time ago I thought it looked very run down, but had an interesting range of plants for gardeners experienced in assessing plants. Tel/Fax 01732 810012 |
| Downderry
Nursery - Lavender Specialist - Holder of a National
collection of Lavenders and Lavendula
Just behind the Artichoke Pub. Park Road, South of Plaxtol. |
| Looking for
Ferns?
Most Nurseries and Garden Centres sell a small range of ferns, Riverside and Plaxtol Nurseries certainly do, but for more information and an excellent catalogue, Hillside Farm Nursery (Taunton, Somerset) produce a Hardy Fern Catalogue that is a mine of information. They sell by mail order only. Hillside Farm Nursery, Hillside Farm, Bibors Hill, Waterrow, Taunton, TA4 2AX Tel. No. 01984 623592 |
| Would
you like to recommend a nursery or particularly good website -
'phone 01959 574691 or e-mail: se.lord@freeuk.com |