Just over an hour from London, nestled in the heart of the Kent countryside, Penshurst Place and Gardens is a riot of colour and spring blooms at this time of year.
The house dates back to the 14th century when it was built in 1341 by wealthy merchant Sir John De Pulteney, and over the years it’s played host to famous monarchs, poets and nobility like Henry VIII.
Penshurst Place and Gardens is a riot of colour and spring blooms at this time of year. (Image: Penshurst Place)
Alongside the historic rooms you can explore, the gardens are one of Penshurst’s highlights – especially during the spring.
These 48-acre gardens are also in the running to win the Historic Houses Garden of the Year Award 2025, with locals encouraged to vote for their favourite, with the winner to be announced later this year.
With its seasonal colour, historic grandeur and garden rooms that date back over 650 years, Penshurst offers the ultimate countryside day trip, especially for flower lovers.
Among its current floral displays are its colourful tulips, which visitors can find in the Nut and Trellis Garden, which has been turned into a rainbow of colour with many tulips on display along with bluebells.
The Church Terrace is another hotspot, where tulips can be seen against the dramatic historic stone backdrop of the house.
The Italian Garden, which once housed tulips, now features an elegant new display of pink roses, set to bloom for the first time this year.
For bluebell enthusiasts, the nearby parkland and woodland trails are also well worth exploring, where these iconic native flowers carpet the ground in a stunning wash of purple and blue.
But the next floral highlight set to bloom in the gardens will be its 100-year-old wisteria, which blooms between late April and lasts up until June.
Another seasonal highlight in the gardens is the 100-metre-long Peony Border, home to four varieties of fragrant, double pink peonies.
If you’re planning a visit over the summer, between June 7 and 8 the gardens will host its Glorious Gardens event, when the estate’s 11 acres of garden rooms are at their most magnificent.
Over 5,000 roses will be in bloom among with the debut of the newly replanted lavender display in the Union Flag Garden.
The gardens are open between 10am and 5pm, with tickets priced at £14 for an adult and £8.50 for a child.
