A romantic garden in Kent filled with cottage garden plants

Tucked away in a rural corner of Kent, Temple Cottage is reached by a series of single-track roads, where old finger posts with atmospheric village names point the way, and wildflowers fill the verges.

The owners moved 20 years ago to this charming property, which dates back in parts to the 15th century. While they were restoring and extending the house, it became increasingly apparent that the outside space also needed rethinking. In what was once a family garden, having a place to play had been the priority. ‘I enrolled on a garden design course’, says the wife. 'But quickly realised it was too big a project for a beginner. My husband's colleague recommended Acres Wild - we looked at the website and felt that lan Smith's and Debbie Roberts' style was exactly what we were after. Ten years passed before the couple were ready to tackle the garden, but lan and Debbie were always at the back of their minds. 'We were finalising decisions, says the husband. 'When we saw an article in the RHS magazine, The Garden, about one we liked and it was by Acres Wild, it confirmed our choice!’

'Munstead' lavender encircles a water feature beside clouds of white Centranthus ruber'Albus', mauve Nepeta racemosa 'Walker's Low' and pink'Gertrude Jekyll' roses.

Eva Nemeth

From the outset, it was a happy collaboration: 'Our only request was that the garden should look as if it had always been there. We wanted it to relate to the ancient history of this part of Kent and look as if it had evolved naturally and not been imposed!’ Relatively low lying within a fold of the Downs and lacking big vistas of the surrounding country-side, the garden is largely inward looking. The aim of the design was to invite exploration within its boundaries, focusing on connecting the house with the outbuildings that at that time stood isolated without planting to link them.

A sense of transition to the landscape was also key. Limestone gravel and York stone were used for the paths and the terrace, with simple planting combinations of good, tough doers. The space between the house and the barn, formerly a drive leading to a (now demolished) garage, has become a richly planted area on either side of a curving path. The couple have limited time for gardening, so although it is never going to look after itself, the planting is forgiving.