The view of the Weald from Emmetts Garden

Every year, in Spring, we go to Emmetts Garden in Kent to see the bluebells in the woods.  This is by far the best place I know to see bluebells. I've included a couple of photos at the end of this post.

However the garden is located in one of the highest points in Kent - on top of a 600m sandstone ridge - which provides splendid views of the Weald of Kent if you know where to look and where to sit.  I confess we re-engineered the seating arrangement for this sketch with a bench moved about three feet to the right!

The view of the Weald from Emmetts Garden (May 2013)
pen and ink and coloured pencils in Moleskine Sketchbook, 8" x 10"
copyright Katherine Tyrrell

The water in the distance is (I think) bough Beech Reservoir - I've spent years wondering and finally got the map out and worked it out!

Believe it or not if you want to find out about the garden, you're best off going to Wikipedia as the new National Trust website tells you virtually nothing!  See Wikipedia - Emmetts Garden

The garden is mainly an arboretum and has some splendid examples of magnolias which grow to an enormous size - very Himalayas!

One of the Giant Magnolias at Emmetts Garden
copyright Katherine Tyrrell

However it is famed for its Bluebells which carpet the woodland.

Bluebells in the woods at Emmetts Garden
copyright Katherine Tyrrell

Bluebells in the woods at Emmetts Garden
copyright Katherine Tyrrell

Near the Rose Garden, there is a new 'natural' planting of tulips and very young cherry trees which looked splendid against the fields in the background.

a new planting of tulips and cherry trees
copyright Katherine Tyrrell