About the Trust

Kent Gardens Trust was established in 1988 and, as one of the county gardens trusts, is affiliated to the Association of Gardens Trusts. It is a registered charitable trust which is administered by trustees drawn from a wide spectrum of experience but all having a love of and interest in gardens and gardening.

The Aims of the Trust

The primary purpose of the Kent Gardens Trust is the protection of gardens in Kent and it seeks to achieve this aim through

·         promoting interest in and knowledge and understanding of the history and development of gardens and gardening in Kent (including contemporary gardens);

·         encouraging study and appreciation of Kent’s garden heritage and the underlying social history;

·         conducting research and recording gardens of historic or horticultural interest in Kent

·         promoting the conservation of gardens and designed landscapes;

·         encouraging high standards of horticulture; and

·         fostering good practice in the management and conservation of gardens.

The Trust seeks to promote these objectives through

·         a programme of lectures, conferences and garden visits;

·         providing advice to planning authorities in relation to gardens of historic or horticultural interest;

·         undertaking research;

·         surveying and recording gardens of importance or interest; and

·         publishing books, leaflets, research and reports

In the twenty years since it was established the Trust has several impressive achievements to its name.

In 1992 the Trust, in conjunction with Kent County Council’s Planning Department produced the Kent Gardens Compendium, a comprehensive list of parks and gardens in Kent which were of horticultural and/or historic importance. It provides planning authorities with detailed information about the important historic gardens in the county so that the impact on them of any proposed development could be assessed and to keep a record of gardens of all types which may be of interest to scholars and horticulturists. This major work was revised in 1996.

This was followed by ‘A Presentation of Parks’ a survey of public parks and gardens in the county.

The Trust supported the publication of Elisabeth Hall’s attractive and informative book, ‘Garden of England’ a study of the evolution of historic gardens in Kent produced by Kent County Council in 1996 which was one of the first guides to historic gardens.

The Trust promoted the design and creation of the Infirmarer’s Garden at the Archbishop’s Palace in Maidstone – a recreation of a monastic medicinal garden - and is responsible for its upkeep.

More recently Kent Gardens Trust enabled funds from a Kent landfill operator to be used to pay for the creation of a new public garden on a former landfill site near Canterbury and was primarily responsible for the design and overseeing its completion. The garden is now managed by the local residents.

In 2008 the Trust embarked on a review of the records of gardens in Kent with the intention of bringing the Compendium up to date and providing planning authorities with reliable information about Kent’s garden heritage to inform their decisions.

The review of records of historic parks and gardens in the Tunbridge Wells borough was completed in 2009. A full report can be seen on line at www.tunbridgewells.gov.uk/historicparksandgardens
This project was funded by Tunbridge Wells Borough Council, English Heritage, Kent County Council and The High Weald Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty Unit. A group of twelve volunteers was recruited and trained and they are now embarking on a similar project to update the records in the Sevenoaks District. New volunteers are also being recruited and trained.