IMAGES TAKEN NEAR TO
Church Lane, SITTINGBOURNE, ME9 0BB

With the easing of lockdown, the tea rooms are open for business and doing a brisk trade.

Cloud pruning is a Japanese method of training trees and shrubs into shapes resembling clouds. It is known as 'Niwaki', the translation of which is 'garden tree'. The gardens are part of the 850 acre Edwardian estate of Doddington Place, a Victorian Mansion dating from 1870. The gardens are open to the public occasionally and today in aid of the National Gardens Scheme.

Yew tree topiary of a pig, complete with curly tail, by the entrance to the gardens. The gardens were open on the 25th February for the snowdrop festival in aid of the National Gardens Scheme.

In the small paved garden to the north of the sunk garden, the door leads through to the private grounds of the house https://www.doddingtonplacegardens.co.uk/

Doddington Place was built around 1860 for Sir John Croft of the port and sherry family. In 1906 the Crofts sold Doddington Place and the estate to General and Mrs Douglas Jeffreys. Mrs Jeffreys was so impressed by the view that that she claimed to have made up her mind before setting foot in the house. The Jeffreys shared the house with Mrs Jeffreys' father, Sir Richard Oldfield who had been a high court judge in India. A few years before the First World War they added a large hall on the north side of the house. On the death of Mrs Jeffreys in 1954, her nephew Mr John Oldfield inherited and it is still in the Oldfield family. For details of when Doddington Place Gardens are open see http://www.doddingtonplacegardens.co.uk/ On many Sunday afternoons an added attraction is bird of prey displays. This view of the house is taken from the Sunk Garden. The Sunk Garden dates from before the First World War when Mrs Jeffreys expanded the garden beyond the immediate confines of the house. She sat on the terrace using plasticine on a board to work out the necessary level changes for the Sunk Garden.

The gardens are part of the 850 acre Edwardian estate of Doddington Place, a Grade II listed Victorian Mansion dating from 1870. The gardens are open to the public occasionally and today in aid of the National Gardens Scheme.

Doddington Place was built around 1860 for Sir John Croft of the port and sherry family. In 1906 the Crofts sold Doddington Place and the estate to General and Mrs Douglas Jeffreys. Mrs Jeffreys was so impressed by the view that that she claimed to have made up her mind before setting foot in the house. The Jeffreys shared the house with Mrs Jeffreys' father, Sir Richard Oldfield who had been a high court judge in India. A few years before the First World War they added a large hall on the north side of the house. On the death of Mrs Jeffreys in 1954, her nephew Mr John Oldfield inherited and it is still in the Oldfield family. For details of when Doddington Place Gardens are open see http://www.doddingtonplacegardens.co.uk/ On many Sunday afternoons an added attraction is bird of prey displays. This view is of the Sunk Garden. The Sunk Garden dates from before the First World War when Mrs Jeffreys expanded the garden beyond the immediate confines of the house. She sat on the terrace using plasticine on a board to work out the necessary level changes for the Sunk Garden.

A Victorian mansion, set on the North Downs, that has been in the Oldfield family for 100 years. The 10 acres of gardens are open to the public at certain times.

Doddington Place was built around 1860 for Sir john Croft of the port and sherry family. In 1906 the Crofts sold Doddington Place and the estate to General and Mrs Douglas Jeffreys. Mrs Jeffreys was so impressed by the view that that she claimed to have made up her mind before setting foot in the house. The Jeffreys shared the house with Mrs Jeffreys' father, Sir Richard Oldfield who had been a high court judge in India. A few years before the First World War they added a large hall on the north side of the house. On the death of Mrs Jeffreys in 1954, her nephew Mr John Oldfield inherited and it is still in the Oldfield family. For details of when Doddington Place Gardens are open see http://www.doddingtonplacegardens.co.uk/ On many Sunday afternoons an added attraction is bird of prey displays. This view of the house is taken from the Sunk Garden. The Sunk Garden dates from before the First World War when Mrs Jeffreys expanded the garden beyond the immediate confines of the house. She sat on the terrace using plasticine on a board to work out the necessary level changes for the Sunk Garden.