Encircled by the old, stone city walls, The Secret Gardens of Sandwich are an oasis of serenity waiting to be explored. At their heart stands the Grade I listed manor house designed by famous English architect Sir Edwin Lutyens who also devised the 3.5 acres of ornamental gardens. Officially opened in 2007 by Gardener’s World host Monty Don, The Secret Gardens have since gone from strength to strength. When the current owners took over in 2004, the gardens were in a state of total neglect; where the charming white garden stands was once a pile of rubble and the Holm Oak Walk was totally shapeless and overgrown. Even after 5 million litres of sea water were pumped back into the river, there were lingering obstacles to once again restoring the gardens. The quality of the soil had been greatly degraded, while thousands of worms had been killed. The gardens have since undergone a metamorphosis; whilst the spirit and style of the original garden has been largely captured, several more modern features have been added such as the Tropical Border. Within this area you will find the Wollemi Pine, an incredibly rare plant dating back to the Jurassic period, which is now part of a global conservation project to boost its numbers. The island on Lake Patricia, accessed by a small footbridge, is a tranquil place to sit and reflect on the beautiful surroundings; The Gardens also include a stunning white garden, yellow garden, bowling green and rose garden, as well as a kitchen garden, vegetable garden and woodland gardens.The Gardens are open seven days a week, throughout the year.