National Garden Scheme Open Day 2022 at Hever Castle

March 15 2022 | Garden

Hever Castle & Gardens will once again be opening in support of the National Garden Scheme – this year on Tuesday 15 March.

Daffodil numbers have been supercharged at Hever Castle & Gardens in readiness for Dazzling Daffodils 2022, a floral festival celebrating the favoured narcissus flower.

Head Gardener Neil Miller is a self-confessed daffodil-obsessive, he says: “As gardeners, we love sharing Dazzling Daffodils at the Castle with visitors – the narcissus are one of the first perennials to bloom after the frost, and are considered a symbol of positivity, resilience and the promise of what’s to come.”

Daffodils come in all sizes from 5-inch blooms on 2-foot stems to half-inch flowers on 2-inch stems, and unlike other bulbs, that can often dwindle and die after a few years, some daffodils have outlived their owners. Indeed, at Hever it’s thought that many of the bulbs in Anne Boleyn’s Orchard are over a century old, and some have links to the first daffodils brought to these shores in the 17th century.

The National Garden Scheme gives visitors unique access to over 3,600 exceptional private gardens in England and Wales and raises impressive amounts of money for nursing and health charities through admissions, teas and cake.

Neil says: “Gardeners really enjoy the National Garden Scheme open days – there’s nothing better than mooching around gardens that are only open once or twice a year, it’s a special programme.”

Please note that entrance to the gardens is not free on the National Garden Scheme open day. Usual admission prices apply.