On a lovely sunny morning 34 members set off for our visit to Kent. We arrived at Doddington Gardens and received a welcome cup of coffee. The Victorian House is not open to the public but the extensive gardens are well worth a visit.
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The gardens are spread over ten acres and highlights included the sunken garden and the extensive woodland garden. There is a Wellingtonia Walk in the wood which unlike other parts of the garden has a deep acid loam which is kept moist by underground springs where you find magnificent pink hydrangeas azaleas and rhododendrons. Sequoia Gigantia known as Wellingtonia in this country and Washingtonian in the USA, were planted in the 1850’s and are a magnificent sight. 

Meandering round the woodland paths we came across a glade of beautiful common spotted orchids and a wonderful Tulip tree which was flowering.
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The most impressive part of the garden is the extensive Yew hedging which rivals those at Powys Castle but on a smaller scale. The yews, which were planted before the First World War, are clipped once a year using a hydraulic cherry picker. The gardens have been open as part of the National Garden Scheme for over sixty years.
- Barbara Hordern