RHS Hever Castle & Gardens
At a time when many grand gardens in England still bore the unmistakable legacy of ‘Capability’ Brown, Hever Castle Gardens, situated in the beautiful Weald of Kent, broke the mould.
They were created by the American multi-millionaire, William Waldorf Astor, who moved to England at the turn of the 20th century declaring that the US was "no longer a fit place for a gentleman to live". He became a British subject in 1899. When Astor acquired Hever Castle, all traces of any former gardens had disappeared, with the exception of a few ancient fruit trees and a moat surrounding the old building.
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The Royal Horticultural Society is the UK’s leading gardening charity. We aim to enrich everyone’s life through plants, and make the UK a greener and more beautiful place.
Activities at RHS Hever Castle & Gardens include:
- Gardens
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Facilities
Activities available in this location
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Contact
Edenbridge
Kent
TN8 7NG
Gallery
Gardens
Age Appropriate
- Children
- Teenagers
- Adults
Location
- Outdoor
More than 1,000 men worked on the grand design between 1904 and 1908, with a further 800 men taking two years to dig the lake. The construction of the gardens entailed a tremendous movement of earth by great steam diggers and a small temporary railway to make up the new features and contours. In just four years, 125 acres (50 ha) of classical gardens and natural landscapes were constructed from marshland and rough meadow. Astor’s passion for the Tudors and love for Italy, together with his wealth and imagination, resulted in an eclectic garden design that is recognised today as one of the great gardens of the world.