One of my most vivid early childhood memories is visiting Sissinghurst Castle in the early1960′s before the National Trust took it over (in those days, we left a shilling in a wooden bowl just under the entrance arch and there was hardly another soul in sight!) – the vivid colours of the flowers on a sunny afternoon in high summer – playing hide and seek with my sister in the long shadowy corridors between the high walls of yew hedges and emerging into the dazzling brightness of the different garden ‘rooms’. Maybe it was then that the seeds were sown – my passion for plants, beautiful gardens and local history has continued to grow over the years. Having lived abroad and visited many wonderful gardens, it was a pleasure to return home 20 years ago to Sussex and to Kent, where I grew up, and be able to share my knowledge and enthusiasm with visitors from other countries. My first visitors were American friends we had made in the US and my (American) husband’s family. Over the years, as my own garden experience broadened and having successfully completed both RHS Horticulture courses and a garden design course, I decided to “grow” this idea into a business so that I could spend more time sharing my passion with enthusiasts from all over the world.
Garden visiting is such a wonderful source of inspiration and ideas for our own gardening projects, particularly when you can meet and talk to owners/gardeners and share ideas and knowledge.
I hope you can join me this summer!
Kathryn Van Howe
Discover Gardens
56 South Way
Lewes
East Sussex BN7 1LY
UK
