According to Hever Castle gardener Emma Fuller, the stunning Sunken Garden is like a “garden within a garden”.
Having worked at Hever Castle for nearly five years, Emma has had responsibility for maintaining the Sunken Garden for much of that time.
Surrounded by yew hedges and full of exotic planting, the Sunken Garden almost has its own microclimate, providing a beautiful sun trap even on a windy day.
Having identified the potential in the Sunken Garden from early in her Hever Castle career, Emma is kept busy mowing, weeding, trimming hedges, and tending to the ornate pond in order to maintain the unique beauty of this tranquil spot.
With much autonomy in deciding what to plant in the Sunken Garden, Emma said, “I don’t like to see waste, so if anything is no longer needed on the Pompeiian Wall I’ll have it! I also try to get as much colour in there as possible with bedding and pots. It is very nearly full though, so I won’t be adding much more.”
The Sunken Garden in spring
Having undertaken work experience at a plant nursery whilst at school, Emma knew that this was the industry for her and she subsequently studied horticulture following her A-levels.
When discussing her work at Hever Castle, Emma said, “I love working at Hever because it is steeped in history and in my honest opinion is one of the best gardens in the country – not that I am biased!”
She continued, “I love how Hever has a great mix of formality within the Italians etc. but then also has a lot of informal parts.”
Her favourite plant is the ‘cornus’ which she describes as “such a good plant for winter colour when mixed with all different colour grasses etc.”
Emma’s only regret regarding her time spent tending the Sunken Garden is that she did not take ‘before’ pictures to show how far this area has progressed.
Read more about the award-winning gardens at Hever Castle.
The Sunken Garden in summer
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Within the grounds of the Hever Castle Estate, there are two opportunities for you to stay the night with us.
Hever Castle has played host to many important events and celebrations for over 600 years. In 1903 when William Waldorf Astor set about restoring Hever Castle to its former glory, he added the Astor Wing, to accommodate his family and guests, before creating a lake and the spectacular Italian Garden to house his impressive collection of ancient Greek and Roman statuary.
There are multiple places to eat & drink across the Hever Castle Estate. Select between the Castle & Gardens and Golf Club below to discover more.
Set in the mature grounds of the Hever Castle Estate, Hever Castle Golf Club is a 27 hole Kent golf course that will encourage and inspire all golf enthusiasts.
Set in the mature grounds of the Hever Castle Estate, the Wellbeing Centre consists of five smart treatment rooms.
