Sissinghurst

Sissinghurst is the garden created by Vita Sackville-West and Harold Nicolson from 1930 in the ruins of a Tudor manor house, laid out as a series of enclosed rooms connected by paths through the old walls. Each room was planted to a distinct scheme: the White Garden, the Rose Garden, the Cottage Garden. It is one of the most visited National Trust gardens in England and its influence on subsequent English garden design is measurable.

The garden rewards an early visit before numbers build, particularly in June when the White Garden's central arbour is at full cascade and the Rose Garden is in peak bloom. The Tudor tower, which Vita used as a writing room, is open to visitors and the view from the top looks down into the individual garden rooms in a way that cannot be experienced at ground level. Most visitors find the garden in June and July; fewer know that the White Garden is also distinctive in March and April with spring planting schemes before the roses arrive.

The garden is closed from November to mid-March. April to October is the full season, with June and early July the peak for the rose and white garden schemes. A carrying capacity system applies from March to September; arriving before 10am on a weekend in peak season is the most reliable way to avoid a wait. September brings lighter crowds and the garden's autumn planting schemes, which are less photographed but less busy.