Introduction

Sissinghurst, in Kent, is one of the most famous gardens in the world. It’s also a manor house with beautiful grounds that date back to the 1300s. The garden was started by Vita Sackville-West and her husband Harold Nicolson in 1930 as a place for them to escape from London life and enjoy their love of nature. But what makes Sissinghurst so special? Let’s find out!

Who is Vita Sackville-West?

Vita Sackville-West is a famous poet and writer who won the Hawthornden Prize in 1922 for her book of poetry entitled The Land. She was also a gardener, so when she married Harold Nicolson, he built her a beautiful garden at Sissinghurst Castle in Kent, England. Vita has been called “the greatest woman gardener England has ever had” by gardening expert Nigel Dunnett.

You can read more about Vita here: http://www.sissinghurstcastle.co.uk/vita_sackville_west

Why is Sissinghurst so famous?

Sissinghurst is famous for a number of reasons.

Firstly, it’s the most famous garden in the world. The Guinness World Records (yes, there are such things) have named it as such and have been doing so since 1985 when it was first entered into their records by Michael Leighton and Peter Smithers. Since then, thousands of visitors from all over the world have made their way to Sissinghurst to see this beautiful display of flowers and greenery for themselves.

It’s also famous for being the most famous garden in Kent—so if you’re visiting Sissinghurst with an eye towards seeing more gardens like these then we recommend checking out nearby Biddenden Vineyard where you can sample some delicious wine whilst admiring its own beautiful vineyard views!

If you’re looking further afield than even Kent then why not head down to London where there are some fantastic museums including The Natural History Museum which has over 70 million specimens on display! Or perhaps go north instead with Leeds Castle being just one hour away from London by train.”

It’s the perfect place for a picnic

If you’re looking for the perfect place to have a picnic, Sissinghurst is the place to go. The garden has everything from a cafe, shop, picnic tables and even play areas for children. You can also enjoy a meal in one of their restaurants or grab some lunch at their bar.

There’s also many options for enjoying tea at Sissinghurst: The Organic Tea Room serves high quality loose leaf tea; the Orangeries Restaurant has afternoon cream teas served in beautiful surroundings overlooking the gardens; while The Rose Cottage Café offers delicious homemade cakes that are made on site each day.

You can stay there overnight

You can stay there overnight, of course. There are a number of options for this. You can stay in the Garden House, which is available to rent as self-catering accommodation and has a beautiful view over the Long Walk. The Garden House is not to be confused with Sissinghurst Castle, which is also on site but needs to be booked separately through English Heritage (or whoever owns it now). You could also stay in one of the other accommodation options available onsite:

• Tent – you can pitch your tent anywhere in the garden grounds and camp out. It’s quite informal; just make sure you’re off by 9am so they can get ready for another day at work or school!
• Caravan – if you want something closer to home than a tent but still want to feel like you’re camping out then why not bring along your portable home? These may be available for rent too if demand gets high enough during peak season time periods such as Easter/summer holidays when everyone wants fresh air after being cooped up all winter long inside their houses (which isn’t necessarily bad).
• Yurt – these are round tents made from canvas with wooden frames built into them so no poles needed! They’re great because they give maximum flexibility with minimal effort required from anyone who stays inside them…but beware: these structures aren’t usually insulated against heat loss very well so keep an eye out for any signs that suggest otherwise before booking one online.”

You can tour the gardens on a vintage Routemaster bus

The gardens are open to the public on a first come, first served basis. This means that if you want to visit the garden on a particular day, you have to be there when the gates open at 10 AM or earlier. You can take advantage of this by visiting in May and June, when there are still many flowers in bloom.

The best way to see the gardens is by taking one of their vintage Routemaster buses! You can get on any time during your visit and hop off at any stop along the route (which will take about an hour) so you can explore whichever part interests you most while enjoying beautiful views and taking photos of your favorite parts of Sissinghurst Castle Garden .

It’s not just flowers, oh no

While Sissinghurst is known as a garden, it is not just a garden. The art collection is also an important part of the visit and there are several sculptures on display in the garden.

• Henry Moore’s Armband (1957) and Family Group (1964), made of bronze, were both commissioned by the National Trust. These large-scale sculptures can be found near the house at Sissinghurst.
• Barbara Hepworth created her work Standing Figures in 1957 while staying at Sissinghurst with her husband Ben Nicholson. The work consists of four bronze figures that stand around ten feet tall each! This can be found to your right when you enter through the gatehouse archway into the garden grounds.
• From Jacob Epstein comes Head of a Man (1930), which was originally owned by Sir Thomas Hanbury and moved to its current location within our beautiful grounds after his death in 1952.”

There are plenty of opportunities to learn gardening tips from the professionals

• The garden also runs a series of workshops which are open to beginners and experts alike.
• There is a large gardeners’ library, where you can borrow books on gardening or just read them while you’re having lunch in the cafe.
• If you need to buy any plants or equipment, there’s a shop that stocks everything from seeds and compost to tools.
• If it’s time for tea and cakes after your visit, head over to the tearoom where they serve hot drinks as well as delicious cakes made from organic ingredients grown at Sissinghurst Castle Garden.

There’s an open air theatre in the grounds

This year, there are two different plays that will be performed on the open air theatre. The first one is called The Browning Version by Terence Rattigan and the second one is called The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde.

The open air theatre has been used for many years to perform plays, many of which have become famous. It can seat up to 200 people and you can have a picnic while watching your favourite play or concert.

The garden uses some cool mediums to share its message about gardens

Sissinghurst has a wide range of mediums for sharing its message about gardens. The garden uses film, TV and music to reach out to its audience.

It also uses poetry and art as a means of communication with people who may not be able to access the physical space of the garden itself.

The garden even hosts dance performances, theatre productions and other cultural events throughout the year so that everyone has an opportunity to experience it in their own unique way!

Conclusion

It’s easy to see why Sissinghurst is so popular. It has a beautiful setting, it’s filled with flowers and plants from all over the world, and there are plenty of opportunities for you to learn more about gardening. If you ever get a chance to visit this magical place yourself then I would highly recommend doing so!