Emmetts Garden

Emmetts Garden is an Edwardian-era garden in Ide Hill covering six acres with many stepped terraces descending the slopes. The terraced levels display diverse plant collections, and from higher points the view stretches across the Weald of Kent.

Frederick Lubbock bought the property in 1890 and developed the gardens between 1893 and 1895 following William Robinson's landscaping approach. The design from that period remains the foundation of the garden's structure today.

The garden's name comes from the local word for ants, a reference to the large anthills that covered the land until the 1950s. Visitors walking through can still sense this connection to the site's natural past as they explore the terraced slopes.

The National Trust manages the garden and provides visitor facilities and seasonal events throughout the year. Since the site is built on steep slopes, comfortable walking shoes are important and some areas may be harder to reach.

A towering giant sequoia dominates the grounds and managed to survive the severe storm of 1987 that damaged many original plantings. This ancient tree stands as one of the garden's most striking features today.