Open Days, Directions and Contact Details

2026 Opening Times

NGS Open Days

The garden will be open for charity through the NGS between 2pm and 6pm on the following dates in 2026:

24th May, 7th and 21st June, 5th and 19th July

Admission is £7.00 per adult and children under 16 are free. Children must be accompanied by an adult at all times. Sorry no dogs, and the garden is not suitable for wheelchairs or push chairs due to the narrow paths.

Payment is by cash on the gate, or you can pay in advance by card on the NGS website below: 

Pay By Card

Other Ways to Visit

I understand that visitors can't always make the  NGS dates, and where this is the case you can visit the garden by arrangement between 9am and 11am on weekdays between 1st June and 1st August instead. Please click here to make a booking: Book A Weekday Morning Visit

If you are interested in arranging a private tour for your gardening group, please contact me by email: carolhannahbruce@sky.com

Other Contacts

The Angel sculpture in the rose garden is by Pete Moorhouse:

www.petemoorhouse.co.uk

 

The sculpture of Abigail the Irish Wolfhound is by Zenos Frudakis:

 www.zenosfrudakis.com


The metal delphinium supports throughout the garden are from:

www.plantsupports.co.uk

 

Contact

Carol Bruce

Old Bladbean Stud

Bladbean

Nr Elham

Canterbury

Kent CT4 6NA

carolhannahbruce@sky.com

About Bladbean

Bladbean is a tiny hamlet on the flat top of a hill surrounded by woodland and overlooking the picturesque Elham Valley in the Kent Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. As such it falls under the protection of the AONB's work to preserve the authentic rural character of treasured landscapes in the UK. Please visit the Kent Downs AONB website for more information.




Getting Here

Bladbean is reached via beautiful but narrow country lanes from all directions. Grass in the middle of the road is not unheard of, so visitors should expect the journey to be an adventure in itself.

On NGS Open Days:

Please follow the yellow NGS arrows from Stone Street (B2068) through Stelling Minnis, or from the Elham Valley road (B2065) just north of Elham. There is signposted parking directly opposite the gardens.

Marked routes for arriving garden visitors on NGS open days have been chosen as the least likely to meet on-coming traffic, and there is a one-way system in operation as visitors are directed to leave another way. With this in mind please follow the yellow NGS arrows rather than Satnav instructions to avoid travelling against the flow.

For Weekday and Private Tour Visits:

Written directions will be sent to you by email in advance of your visit.

CT4 6NA

 

Copyright Carol Bruce 2023