Established in 1957 by a retired couple, this garden of 7 acres now contains 3,000 named plants! Conifers, maples, rhododendrons, magnolias and good herbaceous borders edging large areas of lawn, give a restful vista of semi-woodland effect. Areas of stonework close to the house with a sunken garden centred with a lilypond make a pretty sitting-out place. The shape of the old oast house on the adjacent property is seen from here and adds to the picturesque surroundings. Set in the heart of the Garden of England and surrounding a 17th century house, Great Comp Garden is the delightful creation of Roderick and Joy Cameron since moving to Great Comp in 1957. The gardens are now run by the Curator William Dyson, assisted by one full time gardener, 2 part time gardeners and a small team of volunteers. For the name we need to go back to the XIIIth Century and before. In 1240 Comp was known as Camp de Wrotha (an abbreviation for Wrotham) in 1251 as Caumpes and Compe in 1461. The name is derived from Old English Camp meaning campus or field. For two retired people to develop such a large scale garden unaided, is indeed an outstanding accomplishment and a significant testament to leave to others to enjoy. There is something enticing about the design of the garden at Great Comp – paths lead the visitor on, curving out of sight round bold plantings. The atmosphere is essentially informal.