SISSINGHURST CASTLE GARDEN

Just a 30-minute drive from Leeds Castle, don't miss these splendid gardens, some of which are the finest in England (if not the world)! A must for lovers of plants, nature and beauty. Popular the world over. The true story of Sissinghurst begins in 1928, when the castle was purchased by novelist and poet Vita Sackville-West and her husband, writer and diplomat Harold Nicolson. It was they who gave it its letters of nobility by completely transforming the garden. They turned it into a much-admired model of the English garden. The grounds are divided into a number of enclosed areas, each following a meticulously defined theme. Each space is delimited by yew hedges and low walls, giving the garden a labyrinthine appearance. You'll be delighted to discover the Rose Garden, with its ancient rosebushes, the White Garden, the most successful and admired, composed entirely of white vegetation, as well as a hazelnut grove (for which the couple apparently decided to buy the place) and an orchard. All that remains of the château is a rather romantic brick tower, which Vita and Harold used as their private study and favorite place to write. A must-see site, typical of southern England and Kent, called the Garden of England, has been open to the public since 1937. Today, it is in the care of the National Trust.