True blue Kent – Bluebells at Hole Park

Kent is blessed with fine showings of bluebells each year and nowhere are they better seen than in the gardens of Hole Park, set between Cranbrook and Tenterden, near the pretty Wealden village of Rolvenden. The bluebells here are renowned for their spectacular display: a woodland walk takes visitors through the heart of a dedicated bluebell wood where spring blossom and catkins crown the native tree species which seem to float on a haze of violet blue.

In fact, so special are the bluebells that Hole Park is especially extending its normal opening times to allow visitors to appreciate their full glory. Normally Hole Park opens for a bluebell weekend, but this year, due to its popularity, it will open every day during one fortnight for a Bluebell Spectacular, from Sunday 22 April to Monday 7 May. As well as the bluebell woods, the rest of the gardens, some 15 acres in all, will be blossoming in late spring finery as rhododendrons and azaleas take over from tulips for a showy display of colour. The gardens are normally open Wednesday and Thursday afternoons between April and October and Sundays from April to July.

During the Bluebell Spectacular, there will also be other events at Hole Park. On Sunday 29 April, the Kent group of the National Council for the Conservation of Plants and Gardens (NCCPG) holds a plant fair, with around 15 specialist nurseries setting up for business in the stable yard. On Sunday 6 May, the Rolls-Royce Enthusiasts’ Club hold their rally at Hole Park – a chance to see fine examples of Rolls-Royces and Bentleys in an appropriately stately setting.

For more information visit Holepark.com.