Reuthe's, the lost gardens of Sevenoaks

Monday - Friday | 9am-6pm Saturday - Sunday 10am-4.30pm Sevenoaks Road | Seal Chart | Kent | TN15 0HB claire@reuthesevenoaks.com Reuthe’s, the historic gardens in Seal Chart, Sevenoaks is now open 7 days a week throughout the Summer season. Reuthe’s are the Lost Gardens of Sevenoaks, an acclaimed plant nursery founded in 1902 by a German plant hunter, set in 11 acres of ancient woodland, part of the horticultural miracle that is the Green Sand Ridge in the Weald of Kent. There are over 300 varieties of rare species rhododendron growing on site and other ericaceous (acid) soil loving plants such as rare trees, shrubs, azaleas and camellias. The woodland gardens, which were neglected and overgrown, are being sympathetically and lovingly restored by owner Claire Price and her team, being led by Head Gardener Jay Andrews-Moore. There is a new terraced area outside Basecamp Café, selling light lunches, salads and sandwiches and an ice cream counter by award-winning local company Taywells. The new area is also home to special evenings over the summer such as wood-fired pizza using fresh ingredients from Reuthe’s own vegetable garden. More renovations and improvements include a newly designed nursery retail area, new walkways and planting to allow visitors to freely access the jungle like pathways through up Hidden Valley. For parties, private dinners, weddings and corporate events there are two newly erected stretch marquees available for hire, designed for either large or small events. Reuthe’s is a family friendly site which has free entrance and free parking and is fantastic to go exploring with children and well-behaved dogs. Base Camp Café At Base Camp café there is a daily changing menu of grilled and chilled sandwiches, warm baked sausage rolls, fresh crumpets, seasonal soups and salads. There is Corban Coffee alongside cakes and bakes and a delicious Basecamp afternoon tea. For children there is an Explorer Pack which is a healthy and nutritious lunch plus a few non-edibles for entertainment. Base Camp will fuel your adventure and feed your soul. Everything is handmade using local ingredients, including many grown on site in the vegetable potager, such as salads and herbs. Reuthe’s honey is for sale and will soon be followed by seasonal jams and preserves. A place for discovery and adventure Reuthe’s journey began over 100 years ago when a young Jewish émigré, Mr Gustav Reuthe, left Germany in fear of his life. Driven by an insatiable curiosity for the exotic, Gustav collaborated with plant hunters on dangerous expeditions to China and the Himalayas. There, high in the snow-covered mountains, he discovered never seen before rhododendrons, azaleas and other rare plant species. The plants that he brought home are thriving to this day in the nursery’s magical 11-acre gardens. Many specimens in the Lost Gardens is available to buy. Reuthe’s can arrange professional and careful delivery to anywhere in the UK and Europe. Costs are quoted per plant and order. A smaller number of potted plants are available to buy at the nursery and also by mail order. reuthes.com