The theme for this week’s #FeatureFridays with Historic Houses is Rose Gardens.
On this Feature Friday, we take a look at Rose Gardens; Hever Castle’s Rose Garden, the Roses in the Tudor Garden and at the Anne Boleyn Rose.
The Rose Garden
Head Gardener Neil Miller‘s favourite part of the garden, the romantic quintessential English rose garden is the setting for over 4,000 roses which flourish from June until the end of September. Planted in blocks of colour from palest pink to deep crimson and rich purple, varieties range from the Alba and Bourbon to Hybrid Tea and Floribunda. White Iceberg is a permanent variety complementing the inner beds and pillar-trained climbers, which fill the air with their fragrant scent throughout the summer months.
Roses in the Tudor Garden
Running alongside the Yew Maze and bordering the outer moat of the Castle lies the Tudor Garden, a series of small, sheltered gardens with neatly clipped hedges.
Laid out as they might have been in the time of Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn, these simple gardens feature a profusion of Ballerina shrub roses.
The Anne Boleyn Rose
The Anne Boleyn rose is a shrub rose with a light fragrance, delicate tones of pink and symmetrically arranged petals
Named after the second of Henry VIII’s six wives, by rose breeder David Austin this rose dates back to 1999, not the Tudor era!
At Hever Castle, this rose can be found in the large formal beds that sit either side of Half Moon Pond. They offer large sprays of cupped, rosette blooms that are a soft shade of warm mid pink and have just a hint of a button eye. Its low, spreading growth builds up to form a neatly mounded shrub with soft green, highly polished foliage. Their scent is light to medium but planted en masse we think they smell pretty amazing.
Visitors to Hever in Bloom (21-25 June) can revel in the scent of 4,000 roses in the Rose Garden, spot the Anne Boleyn rose near Half Moon pond or the Hever rose in the Rose Garden. Pergola Walk looks spectacular draped with climbing roses and the Ballerina roses in the Tudor Garden with their Castle backdrop are also worth a visit.
And creative visitors can join former Hever gardener turned florist Emma Fuller for a workshop at 2pm each day during Hever in Bloom (costing from £20 which includes all materials) to create a round floral arrangement in oasis. Places on the hour long workshop must be prebooked and is suitable for adults and children 12 and over only.
For more information and to book click here
If you enjoyed this item on Rose Gardens then why not discover the previous #FeatureFridays news items.
Discover more about Anne Boleyn’s favourite rose here.
Learn about Head Gardener, Neil Miller’s top tips on growing roses.
Book your visit to Hever Castle & Gardens.
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.
