The World Garden in Lullingstone Kent

See the UK’s first garden showcasing plants from around the globe

The UK’s first World Garden is the vision of plant hunter Tom Hart Dyke, the horticultural version of Indiana Jones, and can be found in Lullingstone, Kent. The garden contains plants from around the globe, planted together in their respective countries of origin in a map inspired layout.

Unexpected beginnings

After being abducted during a plant hunting expedition in the Colombia jungle in 2000 Tom luckily returned to the UK unscathed, but inspired with an idea to create a garden showcasing plants from around the world all in one place which he created at his family estate of Lullingstone Castle in Kent - the first of its kind in the UK.

A nod to plant hunters

This extraordinary Garden pays homage to the achievements of plant hunters throughout the Victorian and Edwardian era who explored the world to discover and bring the UK some of the most cherished and popularly grown plants and flowers now found in our gardens. 

Special attractions include:

  • The hot and spikey house: A showcase of cacti, succulents and bromeliads from South America, South Africa, Mexico, South West USA & the Canary Islands. This is a dazzling display of spikes, flowers and leaves of all colours and shapes.
  • The cloud garden house: Built and landscaped in 2009 the cloud garden is homed in a special polypropylene plastic with heat insulation and light diffusion properties which are extremely conducive to growth - the ideal growing conditions for the some 500 species of plants which have been grown at the World Garden.
  • The national collection of eucalypts: In 2009 Tom was recognized as having the National Collection of Eucalypts at the World Garden, with around 100 different provenances represented, including Eucalyptus neglecta the largest known Eucalyptus in the UK.

The World Garden in Lullingstone makes a great day out for plant lovers of all ages and is a truly fascinating experience. 

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