Volunteers Page

Hole Park We at Kent Gardens Trust need volunteers who are interested in gardens, horticulture, social and cultural history, local history or archaeology to get involved and help support our work.

Anyone who is interested in learning how to research old gardens should contact us.

Tunbridge Wells Historic Gardens Project

We are looking for people to help with the Tunbridge Wells Historic Gardens Project.

In 1992-6 a comprehensive register of parks and gardens in Kent (The Kent Gardens Compendium) was produced by KCC in conjunction with Kent Gardens Trust. This included parks and gardens of historic importance as well as those smaller gardens which were mainly of horticultural or amenity value. The survey of Historic Parks and Gardens in particular has been of great help to the planning authorities in Kent by identifying significant sites which should if possible be protected. The information it contains is in the process of being included in the National Parks and Gardens Database which is a joint project (funded by the Lottery) of the Association of Gardens Trusts and York University.

More than ten years on, the Compendium needs to be looked at again in order to

· Identify any additional sites which should be included

· Update entries in the light of recent research

· Check the maps and information given for accuracy and

· Review the condition of sites and update the information in the Compendium

Tunbridge Wells District Council has obtained funding to carry out a review of the historic sites within its area. Kent Gardens Trust will be involved in the project which we hope will be replicated in due course in other parts of the county.

Although the detailed reports on each site will be prepared by professional garden historians volunteers will be needed to undertake much of the initial research, visit the sites to review their condition and how much of the historic layout and planting now survives and update the information about public access and bibliographical references.

Training will be provided in techniques of historical research and recording and volunteers will also benefit from having their work supervised by experienced garden historians.. Garden history involves many different areas of interest including social and cultural history, archaeology and horticulture.

Although the initial project will be limited to the Tunbridge Wells District, other local authorities are likely to carry out similar reviews in future. Kent Gardens Trust hopes to create a group of trained volunteers throughout the county who will be able to research and record historic parks and gardens in their areas and provide advice to planning authorities with the aim of protecting our garden heritage for future generations.

Sturry Road Community Garden and Infirmarer’s Garden

Kent Gardens Trust facilitated the creation of the Sturry Road Community Garden in Canterbury and designed and maintains the Infirmarer’s Garden at the Archbishop’s Palace in Maidstone. Volunteers who would like to help in either garden or provide plants should contact us.