Philip Oostenbrink is Head Gardener at Walmer Castle and Gardens in East Kent, where there are newly restored areas of the grounds, as well as new interpretation throughout the castle's award winning landscape.

There is a sunken Glen garden, and restored woodland paths to wander through. The Kitchen Garden has grown produce for the castle for nearly 300 years and today complementary planting methods are used and all the cut flowers are grown there for the castle arrangements.

Following a four-year restoration programme, the replanted herbaceous borders in the Broadwalk Garden, were unveiled in 2016. With the backdrop of the undulating cloud yew hedge, the double borders are full of colour throughout the summer months. The colour and planting scheme is inspired by the influential British horticulturist and garden designer Gertrude Jekyll.

Apart from his full-time job at Walmer, Philip Oostenbrink is Collections Coordinator for Plant Heritage in Kent and Plant Trials committee member for the RHS. A plant collector all his life. he has a passion for jungle gardening and holds four National Plant Collections: Aspidistra elatior & sichuanensis, Variegated and Yellow-leaved Convallaria, Hakonechloa macra and Ophiopogon japonicus. He loves variegated plants.

REVIEW

We had an excellent talk in October from the Head Gardener at Walmer Castle, Philip Oostenbrink.  As well as being a plantsperson, he is very interested in the past and was able to give us an insight into the history of the castle.  The Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports lives at the Castle and there are therefore private and public areas.  The most famous Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports was the Duke of Wellington, who died at the Castle, and his bed and bedspread there are those he actually used.

The kitchen garden with its many fruit trees was the original part of the garden; later came lawn and commemorative trees.  After that the Broadwalk, which has recently been restored, was formed, hedges planted and glasshouses built.  These days produce from the garden such as peppers and tomatoes is used in the Tea Room or sold on the Produce stall & flowers grown there are used to decorate the interior.  The Queen Mother’s garden was built in 1997 & was created for her when she turned 95.  There is also woodland, natural areas with Bee Orchids, a meadow with many wildflowers & butterflies, & a glen which was formed from an old chalk pit.

Philip, a great fan of exotic plants, has just had a book published: ‘The Jungle Garden’.  

We’re planning a visit to Walmer next year.