Walmer Castle and Gardens

About the garden

Walmer Castle and Gardens in Kent combines rich history with horticultural excellence across 24 acres of grounds, including eight acres of gardens surrounding the Tudor coastal fortress built by Henry VIII in 1537. Once the official residence of the Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports, the castle has been shaped by notable figures such as William Pitt the Younger, the Duke of Wellington, Winston Churchill, and the late Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother. Today, the planting reflects the style of Earl Beauchamp’s era (1910s–1930s), creating a garden that blends tradition with rare botanical treasures.

Key features include an 85-metre herbaceous border backed by a striking yew cloud hedge, a productive kitchen garden, and the Queen Mother’s Garden, created by Penelope Hobhouse for her 95th birthday. The dry moat showcases exotic, jungle-style planting with unusual woody species such as Brassaiopsis, tree dahlias, Schefflera and Tetrapanax cultivars. Woodland walks and meadows offer seasonal highlights from snowdrops and bluebells to native orchids, while the shingle beach supports rare coastal plants and moths. Walmer also holds National Plant Collections for Greatorex double snowdrops and Tetrapanax, and in 2024 received the European Garden Award, affirming its status as one of Britain’s most distinctive gardens.