Lullingstone Castle and The World Garden: Exploring Kent’s Botanical World Map
The Lullingstone World Garden is a very special garden and a very different one from the rest of the gardens in Kent. It’s an beautiful modern garden designed by Tom Hart Dyke in the shape of a world map with indigenous plants in each continent.
It’s a great way to find out where 80% plants that we grown now in England are originally from. I liked that each plant was labelled, because there were so many I didn’t know. There are also large greenhouses with tropical plants, including orchids, so there is plenty to see.
My favourite things about Lullingstone Castle
Of course I loved the World Garden – to me it felt like being in a very innovative botanical garden, because (without even wanting too…) I learned so much about the different plants and were they originally came from. I also enjoyed looking around the castle, which is not always open, so that was great to see.
The walk through the meadow and around the River Darent was also great, including seeing the old bathing house and ice house. I’ve always enjoyed walking the Darent Valley Path, but you don’t always get to see the actual river. Here, the river splits into different streams and then gets back together and you can cross it on a couple of small bridges.
And finally, don’t miss the tearoom in the large marquee – the scones and cakes are delicious and everything is homemade.
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What to see at the Lullingstone Castle & Gardens
The World Garden is the absolute star attraction at Lullingstone Castle, where plant hunter Tom Hart Dyke has created a living plant map of the world. Don’t miss the chance to see over 8,000 plant species arranged according to their continent of origin – a truly unique garden concept born during Tom’s kidnapping ordeal.
Large greenhouses include, succulents, plants suitable for dry planting and orchids collection.
The 15th Century Gatehouse is another highlight, widely considered to be the oldest brick gatehouse in the world, dating back to the 1490s.
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The historic manor house has a large rooms open to public (entrance hall, dinning room, gallery, bedroom etc.) and over the years have welcomed royalty including Henry VIII and Queen Anne (the bath house on the other side of the river Darent is named after her).
The riverside walk along the River Darent is very pleasant and while you can’t walk entirely around the lake, the path leading to it is very nice. You also get to see the Bath and Ice house here.
St Botolph’s Church was built within the Lullingstone Castle grounds. This charming flint church was built around 1349 in the Decorated style, though it possibly has Norman origins.
History of Lullingstone Castle
Lullingstone Castle is owned by the Hart Dyke family and Tom Hart Dyke, a well-known plant hunter and creator of the World Garden is the twentieth generation of his family to live at Lullingstone Castle.
This makes the Lullingstone Castle one of England’s oldest family estates, dating back to the time of the Domesday Book in 1086. The current castle was originally built in 1497, and over the centuries has welcomed some impressive royal guests including Henry VIII and Queen Anne.
The estate was actually renamed “Lullingstone Castle” around 1740, before which it was simply known as Lullingstone. From the 1930s the family also run a silk farm on the estate, which produced the silk for Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation robes and wedding dress.
The story of the World Garden
The World Garden was designed by Tom Hart Dyke, who in 2000 set out on a plant hunting expedition. In the dangerous Darién Gap between Colombia and Panama, Tom and his traveling companion were kidnapped by guerrilla fighters and held captive for nine months. During this terrifying ordeal, facing the very real possibility of execution, Tom dreamed up the concept of creating a garden that would include plants from around the world, arranged according to their countries of origin.
After his eventual release, Tom returned to Lullingstone Castle and transformed a neglected two-acre Victorian walled garden into what he called “The World Garden of Plants.” The design is brilliantly simple yet utterly unique – the garden is laid out as a living map of the world, with plants positioned in beds representing their native continents and countries.
One acre contains this geographical plant map, while the other showcases themed collections. The garden celebrates the spirit of the great Victorian and Edwardian plant hunters who Tom so admires and includes many plants they introduced to Britain.
Practical information for visiting Lullingstone Castle
Location: Lullingstone Park, Eynsford, Kent, DA4 0JA
Tickets
- Adults: £11.00, Children (5–15): £5.50, Under 5s: Free,Family ticket (2 adults + 2 children): £28.00
- Historic Houses Members: Free
Opening Times
Gardens are open Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays, and Bank Holiday Mondays from 2nd April to end of September, 12:00 pm – 5:00 pm
The castle is open only on Bank Holiday Mondays (there are about 6 large rooms open to visitors and taking photos is not permitted)
Parking
There is a free parking directly in front of the entrance to the Lullingstone Castle during the opening hours. If you want to combine the visit to the castle with other sites, you can also park in Lullingstone Park car park (whole day tickets are very reasonable) and then walk to the Lullingstone Castle.
There is no access by car directly from the castle to the Lullingstone Park Car park, so you can’t just re-park your car after you visit the castle. You’d need to drive back to Eynsford village and then take the road to Shoreham and follow the signs to the Lullingstone Park Car Park.
Facilities
The Castle Marquee Café has lovely selection of homemade cakes and also does cream teas with a choice of sweet or savoury scones. You can also bring your own picnic to enjoy in the designated picnic areas within the grounds.
Toilets are available for visitor use, including accessible facilities. The gardens and much of the grounds are mostly wheelchair accessible.
How to get to Lullingstone Castle
To get to Lullingstone Castle from London, you have two main options: by car or by public transport.
By Car:
Drive southeast out of London and take the M25 motorway. Exit at Junction 3 (Swanley) and follow signs for the A225 towards Eynsford. Once in Eynsford, follow the brown tourist signs to Lullingstone Castle via Lullingstone Lane. The journey typically takes around 40–45 minutes from central London, depending on traffic.
By Public Transport:
Take a train from London Victoria to Eynsford Station, which is the nearest railway station to Lullingstone Castle. The train journey takes about 50 minutes. From Eynsford Station, it’s approximately a one-mile walk (about 15–20 minutes) to the castle, following signs along Lullingstone Lane. Alternatively, you can take a taxi from the station if you prefer not to walk. The total journey by train and walking usually takes around 1 hour 15 minutes from central London, depending on connections and walking pace.
What can you see nearby
Lullingstone Roman Villa is just a short walk from the castle and is one of the best-preserved Roman villas in Britain. You can see some incredible mosaics, artefacts that were found on the site and learn about Roman life in Kent.
Lullingstone Country Park surrounds the castle and has beautiful walking trails, woodlands, wildflower meadows, and picnic spots. There is a large car park available (small fee payable), cafe and toilets.
Eagle Heights Wildlife Foundation is within easy walking distance from the castle and you can see here mainly birds of prey, but also other animals such as meerkats or reptiles. They are daily birds flying demonstrations and educational talks.
Eynsford village & castle is a lovely village with independent shops and cafes and also a picturesque castle ruin (free to enter).
Castle Farm sells their own produce including meat. It’s also a lovely lavender farm and during the flowering season (late June to July) you can walk among the lavender fields, take guided tours, and enjoy the beautiful scenery—perfect for photos and a relaxing day out.
This blog post was originally published on 27 April 2025 and last updated on 27 April 2025
