Penshurst Place and Gardens

About the garden

Owned by

Viscount & Viscountess De L'Isle

Designed By
George Carter

Walking through the 11 acres of formal gardens at Penshurst Place is a truly unique experience. Divided into 11 garden rooms by over one mile of yew hedging, it’s little wonder why Penshurst Place remains a popular choice for visitors seeking a variety of colour and form in a garden of significant historical importance.

Owned by the Sidney family since 1552, Penshurst Place is a family home first and foremost, where the gardens serve as a fascinating horticultural family album with many of the gardens featuring new planting to immortalise events in 2nd Viscount and Viscountess De L’Isle’s family.

Records for the gardens date from 1346 and are among the oldest in private ownership. Each garden room has a unique theme and displays a plethora of colours, blooms and foliage to ensure season-long interest for visitors. Current custodians Viscount and Viscountess De L’Isle work hard to retain the historical accuracy of Penshurst Place for enjoyment by visitors and future generations alike, yet they recognise the need for the gardens to evolve. New additions have resulted in visually appealing gardens, which effortlessly combine the historical integrity of more than six centuries with unique and contemporary enhancements.

Among the many garden highlights is the Italian Garden, originally laid out in the 1560s by Henry Sidney. The Italian Garden and the various other smaller rooms began life as kitchen gardens, hosting a variety of fruit trees and sink ponds. Sir Henry’s layout has remained virtually unchanged for the succeeding 460 years.

Add to this a further 10 garden rooms featuring more than 5,000 roses, an abundance of fruit trees, and spring flowering tulips, a magnolia garden, ponds and fountains, ancient trees and parkland, lakes and woodland, statues and topiary, and it is easy to see why Penshurst Place is one of Kent’s most cherished gardens.  

Please note: this garden is partially accessible.