GARDENS SUPPLEMENT inside
Inspirational Interiors • Fabulous Fashion • Delicious Dishes
PRICELESS
APRIL 2020
KBB Retail & Design Awards 2020
Finalist: Kitchen Designer Of The Year!
Designed to stand the test of time
The difference is in the detail
Please call for a brochure or visit our showrooms
Unit 9, Chart Farm, Seal Chart
Sevenoaks, Kent TN15 0ES
Tel: 01732 762682
www.rencraft.co.uk
81 Calverley Road
Tunbridge Wells, Kent TN1 2UY
Tel: 01892 520730
1 wealdentimes.co.uk
01580 291221 jminteriorsuk.uk
Please call to arrange an appointment at our Biddenden showroom
Welcome to to Heronden Veterinary Practice, Practice,
the the only only independent Veterinary Practice Practice in in Tenterden, owned owned
and and run run by a by local a local family family with with help help from from an amazing an amazing team. team.
No No matter your
shape or or size...
.... .... We’ll We’ll love love you you at at Heronden Vets! Vets!
ABOUT US US
We We are are a NEW a NEW AND AND INDEPENDENT
Veterinary Practice providing an an
empathetic service service to the to the local local
community
WHERE WE WE ARE ARE
Pickhill Pickhill Business Centre,
Smallhythe Road, Road, Tenterden TN30 TN30 7LZ 7LZ
CONTACT US US
01580 763303
info@herondenvets.co.uk
www.herondenvets.co.uk
HerondenVeterinaryWT195.indd 1 24/04/2018 11:32
5 High Street, Cranbrook, Kent TN17 3EB
01580 715144
Email: kld@kingsfords.net www.kingsfords-solicitors.com
We offer an excellent, swift and friendly service.
Conveyancing - Wills & Estates - Commercial Law -
Matrimonial Law - Prenuptial Agreements - Litigation -
Employment Law - Family Law - French Property
Conveyancing Services from £550.00+VAT
Wills from £220.00+VAT / Mirror Wills from £350.00+VAT
Lasting Power Of Attorney (LPA's) from £250.00+VAT
(Initial fixed-fee appointments also available at our Cranbrook offices)
Litigation Solicitor from £200.00+VAT
Matrimonial Solicitor from £150.00+VAT
We will always try and match any quotation
Kingsfords Solicitors Limited registered office address 2 Elwick Road, Ashford, Kent TN23 1PD
Regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority 621466
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4
KingsfordSolicitorsWT208.indd 1 07/05/2019 11:00
Contents
April 2020
22
35
36
73
81
36
POSITIVE OUTLOOK
Properties with fabulous views
NOTEBOOK
Events to add to your to do list,
plus our guide to staying home
DRESSED TO IMPRESS
We tour a unique and
impressive former pub
GET THE LOOK
Dress your own home to impress
SHELF LOVE
Rebecca Cuffe styles shelf fillers
107
110
119
123
128
MADE IN THE UK
Rebecca Cuffe hunts the
best of British Easter eggs
TOP HATS
Kate Watts shops
stunning headpieces
RESPONSIBLE BEAUTY
Josephine Fairley explains
how to keep your beauty
routine eco-friendly
SKIN SOOTHERS
How to give your skin
a boost this month
135
137
141
143
147
86
FINAL GOODBYES
We talk to experts about the
different funeral options available
NOTICEBOARD
Updates from South East schools
READING PLEASURE
The benefits of reading for children
WHAT’S ON
A round-up of Wealden events
COMPETITION
Win a beautiful club
bench by Bridgman
84
HAPPY 18TH BIRTHDAY WT
It’s our birthday! We look back
over 18 wonderful years
125
HOLIDAY SKIN
Henrietta Norton’s 6-step
guide to post-holiday skin
148
FABLES FROM THE FARM
It’s lambing season at Coopers Farm
86
105
HOUSE OF BEULAH
A contemporary
Tunbridge Wells villa
GET THE LOOK
Be inspired by that
‘House of Beulah’ style
127
128
LAZY BOTTOM
The real cause of your
lower back pain
FEASTS FOR FAMILIES
An Easter spread with options
for vegetarians and pescatarians
Published by Priceless Media Ltd. Kettle Chambers, 21 Stone Street,
Cranbrook, Kent TN17 3HF | Call 01580 714705 | Email info@wealdentimes.co.uk
Visit wealdentimes.co.uk Copyright © 2019 Priceless Media Ltd. The views of
the advertisers & contributors are not necessarily those of Priceless Media Ltd.
GARDENS
SUPPLEMENT
36 pages of
garden tips,
tricks and
inspiration After
page 108.
Gardens
A Wealden Times Supplement
Sponsored by
5
View the new Garden Directory online at wealdentimes.co.uk
MAXIMISE THE VALUE
OF YOUR LAND
Have you got a large
garden or plot of land?
We are experts at working
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anyone who wants to achieve planning".
Amanda and Robert Petch
June 2016
"The cost involved to try and
get planning on our land
were just not feasible for us.
Working with Country House
meant we didn’t have to risk
our money as they took care
of everything"
Mr C Partridge (Loose, Kent)
September 2016
For a free appraisal call 0843 557 4080
www.maximisemyland.co.uk
sales@countryhousehomes.co.uk
“Guy and team at CHH did a fantastic
job securing planning permission on
our rear garden plot. Although a fairly
problematic application (which took
over 18 months), they kept us informed
throughout the entire process.
I would certainly use them again”
David J (Oxted, Surrey)
January 2017
Residential Sales
#TheGardenOfEngland
Estate Agents
NO CHAIN
Biddenden
OIEO £675,000
Impressive and well-presented 3 bedroom barn
conversion, with a wealth of charm and character,
set in a good sized garden with detached double
garage and room over. EPC Rating TBA
Appledore
Guide £645,000
Charming Grade II listed detached house with
much retained character and pretty gardens
situated in the heart of this beautiful village.
EPC Rating NA
NO CHAIN
Warehorne
OIEO £625,000
A very pretty Grade II listed detached cottage
with lovely gardens and a range of outbuildings
including an oak frame cart barn.
EPC Rating NA
Saltwood
Guide £1,250,000
Grade II Listed historic property. Fabulous
for entertaining. Good ceiling heights.
Walking distance to station. Set in gardens of
approximately 0.7 acres. EPC Rating NA
Ulcombe
Guide £975,000
A substantial Grade II listed family house,
2 bedroom self-contained annexe, good
outbuildings & gardens, tennis court. Quiet lane
with great views. Around 0.8 acre. EPC Rating NA
Tenterden
Guide £595,000
An attractive detached 4 bedroom property
with annexe potential, set in good size gardens
with off-road parking, garage and glorious
countryside views. EPC Rating D
Hobbs Parker Estate Agents www.hobbsparker.co.uk
Ashford 01233 506260 Tenterden 01580 766766
A.T. Palmer Ltd
Restoration Specialists Est.1949
CELEBRATING 70 YEARS IN BUSINESS
| Employed Skilled Workforce
| Renovations & Extensions
| Conversions & Alterations
| Design & Build
T: 01233 770077
Smarden Business Estate, TN27 8QL
atpalmer.co.uk
‘Our Focus Determines Your Reality’
HARPERS AND HURLINGHAM
RURAL SMARDEN £1,195,000
QUINTESSENTIAL KENTISH COUNTRY HOME
• Four reception rooms • Kitchen/breakfast room • Utility room • Five bedrooms (two ensuite) • Delightful
gardens • Swimming pool • Pool house • Outbuildings • Garaging • EPC: n/a
Rural yet not isolated location
Sales & Lettings Team
Harpers&Hurlingham
The Cornerhouse, Stone Street, Cranbrook
01580 715400
www.harpersandhurlingham.com
Jane Emilie Chez Cathy Sara Debbie Debbie S Sharon Caroline Dianne
Wendy
SPECIALISTS IN TOWN AND COUNTRY PROPERTIES
VALUERS • ESTATE AGENTS • LETTINGS
ST MICHAELS TENTERDEN GUIDE £825,000
A most impressive detached 5 / 6 bedroom family property built in 2014 offering
beautifully presented accommodation extending to circa 2,840 sq ft with spacious
reception rooms and a stunning second floor 24’ bedroom / family / games room.
Attractive well stocked garden, gated driveway, parking and a double garage.
NORTHIAM OIEO £575,000
Located close to the village centre, a wonderful unlisted four bedroom period
property that offers accommodation of 2,200 sq ft, exuding warmth and character
with a contemporary, stylish interior making this a charming family home. Two
good sized gardens, off road parking and two single garages.
WITTERSHAM GUIDE £650,000
This stunning architect designed 4 bedroom contemporary villa. Extending to
over 2,000 sq ft and featuring the best of contemporary retro design, the open-plan
layout takes full advantage of its south facing aspect and breathtaking location,
providing views of the wonderful garden and Rother levels in the distance.
TENTERDEN GUIDE £585,000
Set in a highly desirable location only a short walk from the High Street, this
spacious detached family house with 3 reception rooms, 4 bedrooms and 2 bath/
shower rooms. The property benefits from good size mature gardens, attached
double garage and parking for two cars.
TENTERDEN ORO £850/900,000
Standing in a wonderful plot of about 1.5 acres (tbv) this substantial and versatile 5
bedroom offers enormous potential for flexibility of use. Driveway with extensive
parking, double garage / pottery studio and covered heated swimming pool. Within
easy reach of the town centre.
TENTERDEN OIRO £1,000,000
Situated in the heart of the town, a wonderfully secluded 5 bedroom property with
delightful landscaped gardens of a 0.5 acres (tbv). Circa 2,500 sq ft. with great
potential and scope for improvement, parking, workshops and garaging. A property
like this is rarely found and is only a minute's walk from the tree lined High Street
Tenterden 01580 766044 | www.warnergray.co.uk | info@warnergray.co.uk
Happier and healthier
or your money back.
At Inspired Villages we believe our stunning
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Our belief is so strong we now offer a money-back
guarantee: If you don’t have a better sense of
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us, we guarantee to return your deposit in full.
Visit an Inspired village
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Experience the years of your life?
Get in touch for more details:
01293 730 589
www.inspiredvillages.co.uk/guarantee
*Terms and conditions apply, see above link for more details
DESIGN & PLANNING | RESTORATION | NEW BUILD | BARN CONVERSIONS | EXTENSIONS | JOINERY
For a brochure or home consultation call 01797 366895
www.anthony-hicks.co.uk
SALES / LETTINGS / MANAGEMENT
VISIT US AT HUNTERS.COM
HERE TO GET you THERE
TENTERDEN £2,250,000
An exceptional fi ve bedroom grand country home with attached twobedroom
annexe, fully equipped twelve seater cinema, heated outdoor
swimming pool and four acres of landscaped gardens with glorious views,
located in a secluded position within level walking distance of Tenterden
High Street. EPC C
SISSINGHURST £600,000 - £625,000
An impressive, well-presented, four-bedroom semi-detached family
home with three reception rooms and three bath/shower rooms. The
house is located in the popular village of Biddenden and is within the
Cranbrook School catchment area. EPC D
KENARDINGTON £550,000
NO CHAIN. A well presented fi ve bedroom detached family home with
three reception rooms and double garage, situated in a private road just
a short drive from Hamstreet train station. EPC C
SWINGFIELD £650,000
A beautifully presented detached home in a stunning location and offers
four double bedrooms, kitchen/dining area and three washrooms. Set in
the heart of the countryside, this lovely home offers a detached annexe,
stables and gardens in just over 1.5 acres! EPC E
MEET YOUR LOCAL Tenterden Team!
HERE TO GET you THERE
Over 150 independently owned branches across the UK. Jake, Andrew & Laura
TENTERDEN
HYTHE
01580 763 278
ASHFORD
01233 613 613
01303 261 557
FOLKESTONE
01303 210 335
HOTHFIELD GUIDE PRICE £525,000 - £550,000
1,656SQ FT 3 BED DETACHED HOUSE + DETACHED DOUBLE
GARAGE + ELECTRIC DRIVEWAY GATES + UNDER FLOOR
HEARTING + BUILT BY TOLMAN HOMES + HELP TO BUY
AVAILABLE
Over 200 independently owned branches across the UK.
BUILDING YOUR DREAMS FOR OVER 25 YEARS
Experience that allows us to design & build any project that you are planning.
For the past 55 years the Norton family have been involved in the timber and construction industry in Kent, with three
generations now working in the company. Our involvement in all the various layers of our industry enables Norton Timber
to offer a wide range of services. By building on our strengths and maintaining the high quality of our products and service
we are confident that Norton Timber will be able to help to make your dreams a reality.
VISIT OUR WEBSITE
Enjoy watching our case study films that perfectly show what we can offer you.
See how our skills using traditional construction techniques, encompassing a range of building designs, from
extensions, to wedding venues to turn-key home builds, come to fruition in buildings of the highest quality.
Our regularly updated media platforms will provide you with an insight into the design process, what goes on inside
the workshops where our frames are created and see the dream become reality as the frames are raised.
www.nortontimber.co.uk 01304 832525 nortontimber@hotmail.co.uk
NEW HOMES NOW AVAILABLE
Willow Grove
COLLIER STREET, ME18 6BB
THE WILLOW
THE ASPEN
THE HAWTHORN
THE CEDAR
4 BED HOME
4 BED HOME
4 BED HOME
3 BED HOME
Prices from £610,000
Prices from £575,000
Prices from £530,000
Prices from £450,000
Discover a beautiful collection of new homes now available at Willow Grove, Collier Street.
SHOW HOME NOW OPEN
Visit dandara.com, call 01892 730 695
or email willowgrove@dandara.com
Visit our Sales & Marketing Suite
Collier Street, Maidstone, ME18 6BB. Open Thur - Mon 10am - 5pm.
Specification may vary subject to house type and build stage. Full details available on request. Price and details correct at time of going to print. Computer Generated Images shown are for indicative purposes only.
PLOT OR NOT?
If you think your land or property has development potential,
why not give us a call without obligation and in confidence.
WE ARE ALWAYS ON THE LOOKOUT FOR LAND AND PROPERTY WITH DEVELOPMENT POTENTIAL
Many of our clients retain our services and, in the majority of
cases, pay our fees saving property owners significant costs.
Commercial buildings for residential conversion, former public houses, redundant
buildings for redevelopment, buildings for conversion or replacement, houses
for improvement, large sites on the edge of town, barn conversions, large
gardens in residential areas and major regeneration projects.
Contact Stephen Donnelly on
07739 514350 or 01892 579937
website: sjd-projects.com
email: steve@sjd-projects.com
For regular updates, visit us at
twitter.com/projects
Greatstone, Kent - £975,000
Unique beach house with stunning widespread sea views.
Four double bedrooms, two with en-suite showers. First floor
open plan living, dining and kitchen. Large balcony with sea
views. Detached garage. Off road parking. Garden. EPC C
Appledore, Kent - £1.6m
Lovely four bedroom detached Grade II Listed house in this
popular village with separate three bedroom cottage and one
bedroom former coach house. Off road parking. 1.7 acres of
garden and flower meadow.
Appledore, Kent - £525,000
A well presented, modern detached property in the village.
Kitchen, sitting room, dining room, three bedrooms. Integral
garage. Courtyard Garden. EPC D
Northiam, East Sussex - £499,950
A Grade II Listed attached period cottage in village close to
local shops and amenities. Kitchen/breakfast room, living
room, dining room, four double bedrooms. Off road parking.
Garden.
Rye, East Sussex - £399,995
A riverside family home on edge of Rye with 90’ garden and
views to the rear. Sitting room, dining room, kitchen, utility,
three bedrooms. Attached workshop. Off road parking.
Garden onto River. EPC D
New Romney, Kent - £815,000
Imposing Grade II Listed house with stunning interior. 2
reception rooms, dining room, kitchen, study, 5 double
bedrooms, 3 attic rooms. Cellar. Walled garden. Parking.
RYE OFFICE 01797 227338
MAYFAIR OFFICE 0870 112 7099
phillipsandstubbs.co.uk
Find your dream home in France
MAIDSTONE REMOVALS
GET A QUOTE: 0800 611 8990
Free, no obligation quotation
Dismantle and reassemble service at no extra cost
Unplumb & replumb large kitchen appliances
No charge for key waiting
No extra charges for cancellations
01622 205738 l info@maidstoneremovals.co.uk
www.maidstoneremovals.co.uk @MaidstoneremovalsUK
+44 (0) 1233 800 200
countryhomesfrance.co.uk
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1 14/02/2020 16:57
We are the UK’s leading
restorer and repairer of
traditional, distinctive
oast cowls & kiln roofs.
New cowl construction. Painting
& cleaning. Repair & maintenance.
Also specialising in Kent peg tile
roof repairs and kiln tile repairs.
Trusted over four family
generations by royalty, businesses
& homeowners alike.
Oast owners
Book a no-obligation visit
01622 725 898 / 07973 332 790
www.dudeandarnette.co.uk
est
wealdentimes.co.uk
20
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Design & Planning
Restoration
New Build
Barn Conversions
Extensions
Joinery
www.coxrestorations.co.uk
Design & Planning
Design
Restoration
& Planning
New
Restoration
Build
New Build
Design & Planning
Restoration
New Build
Barn Conversions
Extensions
Barn Conversions
Joinery
Extensions
Joinery
www.coxrestorations.co.uk
www.coxrestorations.co.uk
www.coxrestorations.co.uk
Barn Conversions
Extensions
Joinery
Barn Conversions
Extensions
Joinery
Design & Planning
Restoration
RXArchitectsWT218.indd 1 17/03/2020 15:04
Design & Planning
Design & Planning
New Build
Restoration Design & Planning
Barn Conversions Restoration
New Build
New Build
Barn Conversions Restoration
Extensions
Barn Conversions
Extensions
Extensions
New Build
Joinery
Joinery
Joinery
oxrestorations.co.uk
COX
Developments
(Charing) Limited
COX
www.coxrestoration
Developments
(Charing) Limited
www.coxrestorations.co.uk
www.coxrestorations.co.uk
Design & Planning
Restoration
New Build
Barn Conversions
Extensions
Joinery
www.coxrestorations.co.uk
For a free consultation please contact: 01233 714950
www.coxrestorations.co.uk
Established 1986
For a free consultation please contact: 01233 714950
For a www.coxdevelopmentscharing.co.uk
free consultation please contact: www.coxrestorations.co.uk
01233 714950
For a free consultation www.coxrestorations.co.uk
please contact:
Established
01233 714950
NATIONAL AWARD WINNER COX DEVELOPMENTS 1986
(CHARING) LIMITED www.coxrestorations.co.uk
– BEST Established SMALL DEVELOPMENT
1986
CoxRestorationWT138.indd 1 15/07/2013 15:12
For a free consultation please contact: 01233 714950
www.coxrestorations.co.uk
Established 1986
Established 1986
www.coxdevelopmentscharing.co.uk
NATIONAL AWARD WINNER COX DEVELOPMENTS
(CHARING) LIMITED – BEST SMALL DEVELOPMENT
For a free consultation please contact: 01233 714950
www.coxrestorations.co.uk
Established 1986
21 wealdentimes.co.uk
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House
Month
of the
£1,500,000
A Positive
Outlook
Maggie Alderson picks her favourite homes on the market
Camber Sands
The dream: There are sea views –
and then there are Camber Sands
sea views. This is a rare chance to
buy into the beach-side lifestyle
dream, in a good-sized house that is
crying out for a groovy makeover.
Where: Absolute beach front,
Camber Sands, four miles from Rye.
Setting: Looking out over Rye
Bay to the Channel. There are
houses close on either side,
but who’s looking that way?
Beds: 4 Baths: 3
Special features: A games
room extension with room for
a pool table and wiff waff.
Pleasing details: A sunroom on
the first floor, perfect for enjoying
the view on cooler days.
Outside: The beach, the sea…
Time to town: Just over an
hour to St Pancras International
from Rye, via Ashford.
Agent: Phillips & Stubbs,
Rye. 01797 227338
phillipsandstubbs.co.uk
wealdentimes.co.uk
22
Coombe Bank
£1,550,555
The dream: A classic red-brick Georgian
house with a porticoed front door and a gable
attic window, in beautiful condition with a
large eat-in kitchen, complete with a jolly
red Aga. The perfect family house, there is a
cinema room on the lower-ground floor, an
attic room perfect for a teenager and a games
room, or office space over the garages.
Where: Boughton Monchelsea,
three miles south of Maidstone.
Setting: On a quiet country lane,
on the edge of the village.
Beds: 4/5 Baths: 3
Special features: The coach house annexe has
been converted into a one-bedroom pad, with
a private terrace, perfect as a granny flat.
Pleasing details: Mature wisteria
on the front of the house.
Outside: Sitting in 3.6 acres of gardens
and paddocks, with a partially-walled
kitchen garden and original potting shed.
Time to town: Marden station is six miles
away, then just over an hour to Charing Cross.
Agent: Country Property Group
07580 212828 countrypropertygroup.com
Smithers Lane
£999,950
The dream: A very superior barn
conversion, providing a modern single-story
open-plan layout with a kitchen/dining/
family room, with multiple glass doors
onto the garden. There is wood flooring
throughout and characterful wood beams.
Where: Not far from the village
of Cowden, equidistant from East
Grinstead and Edenbridge.
Setting: In a hamlet of converted farm
buildings, in lovely agricultural countryside,
situated off a no-through road.
Beds: 4 Baths: 3
Pleasing details: A beautiful weeping
willow tree in the garden.
Outside: Lawned gardens with an
entertaining area, a fish pond and
water feature, plus a barn-ette
with parking and storage.
Time to town: Under an hour to
London Bridge from Cowden station,
or to Victoria from Edenbridge.
Agent: Humberts,
01342 326326 humberts.com
23 wealdentimes.co.uk
Local solicitors
for all your
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business needs
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CO2RE Intima treatment has changed my
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Buss Murton Law LLP is a Limited Liability Partnership No. OC345994
and is authorised and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority.
Before you consider any procedure you should consult with
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1 23/04/2019 12:23
Delivering Permeable Perfection
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Contact now for FREE design consultation
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www.limegate.co.uk
SEVENOAKS
ACTUALLY HAS
8 OAK TREES
A WOOD-YOU-
BELIEVE IT
NUMBER, SURE.
BUT NOT A LIFE-
SAVING ONE.
We’re CALM and we’re leading a
movement against suicide. If you’re
finding life tough, our number is:
0800 58 58 58
We’re open 5pm-midnight every day
Number hungry? CALM is a registered charity no. 1110621 (England & Wales) and SC044347 (Scotland).
This interesting number was taken from kentonline.co.uk
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www.blind-design.co.uk
info@blind-design.co.uk
0800 988 1066
SHOWROOM OPEN MONDAY TO FRIDAY 9-5
SATURDAY 9-1, CLOSED BANK HOLIDAYS
Call for a Free No Obligation Home Visit
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VISIT OUR WEBSITE FOR OUR FULL RANGE OF BLINDS, SHUTTERS, CURTAINS AND AWNINGS AT
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Members in this category enjoy full use and access to all the facilities on offer at
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Members also enjoy privileged rates at some of the
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For more information please contact the LGC Golf Sales department on
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JOIN THE CONVERSATION
ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE
Planning with properties
Despite Brexit concerns, recent
figures show that average house
prices increased by 2.2% last
year, meaning many first-time
buyers are still struggling to get
on the property ladder.
In light of this, parents may be
considering how to help their
children. One very generous
way is to gift a property to them –
but, before you do it, you should
ensure that you have considered
the tax and other implications.
Capital gains tax (CGT)
CGT is often the biggest issue when
disposing of a second property. It
is a tax on the increase in the value
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If you inherited the property, the CGT
will have been wiped out on death,
which may make gifting the property
more attractive. If you inherited in the
last two years, you could use a deed of
variation, which will also be beneficial
for inheritance tax, because you will not
need to survive the gift by seven years.
If however you have owned
the property for some time, the
CGT may be substantial.
trust assets. The trustees decide which
of the potential beneficiaries benefit
from the trust and when, guided
by a letter of wishes from you.
You shouldn’t transfer property
worth more than £325,000 into trust
(or if the property is jointly owned
with your spouse or civil partner,
£650,000) otherwise inheritance
tax is immediately payable.
Settlor interested trust
Holdover relief is not available if
you, your spouse or your minor
children can benefit from the trust.
If you have children under 18, they
will not be able to benefit from
the trust until they are adults.
Principal Private Residence
Relief (PPR)
If your child will live in the property as
their main home, you shouldn’t normally
claim holdover relief. Usually a sale of a
main home would be exempt from CGT,
as it would attract PPR. However, PPR is
not available where holdover is claimed.
Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT)
SDLT is not normally payable
on gifts. However, if there is a
mortgage on the property and your
child takes on responsibility for
this, SDLT could be payable.
done carefully. A legal agreement must
be prepared and it is essential that you
pay rent at market value for the rest of
your life. If at any time you are unable
to pay the rent, the property would fall
back into your estate for inheritance tax.
Deliberate deprivation
Finally, be aware that if one of the
reasons for gifting your property
is to avoid care home fees, the
gift may not be effective and you
may be assessed for care home
fees as if you still owned it.
A gift of property may be the best way to
help your child onto the property ladder
but there are complexities. A solicitor
can advise on the best options for you.
Transfers into trust
Avoiding the ‘GROB prob’
If you transfer the property into a
discretionary trust, the CGT can
be postponed until the property
is sold, using ‘holdover relief’.
A discretionary trust has a number
of potential beneficiaries, none of
whom has the right to benefit from
To be effective for inheritance tax, you
cannot keep any benefit in the gifted
property. If you gift your main home
and continue living there, this is a gift
with reservation of benefit (‘GROB’).
One way to avoid a GROB is to pay rent
for living in the property. This must be
Jessica Jamieson
Partner
If you would like more information
on property planning please contact
Jessica Jamieson on 01892 506 019 or at
Jessica.jamieson@crippspg.co.uk.
www.crippspg.co.uk @crippslaw This article gives examples and is intended for general guidance only
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Advertorial
Building in your back garden
If you have a garden big enough for
another property, you may be thinking
about how a new building could allow you
to downsize or to sell on and bank the
profit.
‘There are several things you need
to consider first,’ says Jane Bohill, a
residential conveyancing expert with
Warners Solicitors in Sevenoaks who
outlines some of the issues involved.
Physical constraints of your garden plot
Your garden must be able to
accommodate a new home comfortably
and have good physical access. There
should also be no legal obstacles to
access, so involve your solicitor early
on. For example, if you do not own your
current driveway and only have rights
over it, do not assume your new build will
automatically have the same rights.
Access to services, such as electricity
and water, is also important. Ideally,
you should be able to connect into the
existing mains supply. Although there is
usually a way of bringing services in, even
to remote properties, this will add to the
cost. If you need to run cables or pipes
across neighbouring land, you will need
to ensure the necessary legal agreements
are in place.
Getting planning permission for your
new build
Your new build will require planning
permission. In deciding whether to grant
permission your local authority will
consider national planning guidance,
its own policies and your plans for
the building. Some plots, particularly
those in established residential areas,
may be more suitable than others for
development, but your local planning
authority will consider any application
on its individual merits. There may also
be additional costs payable under the
Community Infrastructure Levy which
you will need to check with the local
authority.
Other consents you may need
There may be legal restrictions in your
title which prevent building, or which
require a third party’s consent to any
works. Your solicitor can advise you if
any apply to your land and whether they
are still enforceable. If they are, it may be
possible to negotiate a release or to take
out an insurance policy which can protect
you and allow your project to go ahead.
If you have a mortgage you will also
need your lender’s consent, so this could
be a good time to review your financial
arrangements.
Sell to a developer or self-build?
You can, of course, sell your plot to a
developer without planning permission.
This may not be so profitable but could
release value more quickly and with less
financial risk to yourself. Alternatively,
you could sell an option over your land.
You would then retain ownership until
the developer exercises his option, usually
when he obtains planning permission.
Before deciding to go down this
route, discuss your expectations and
requirements with your solicitor who
will protect your interests and help
you maximise the value in your land.
For example, she may suggest an uplift
provision in the sale agreement, whereby
if the developer obtains planning
permission, he must then pay you an
agreed percentage of the increase in the
value of the plot.
If you plan on staying in your current
home, consider how you would feel
living next door to a building site over
which you have little control. What
input would you have over the design or
appearance of the new build? You could
seek some safeguards in your agreement
with the developer, but it may mean
compromising elsewhere.
You will have much more control if you
develop the plot yourself. However, you
will also have the challenge of running a
building project. You will need to agree
terms with the builder and manage all
the other professionals and contractors
involved. One possible solution is a
turnkey design and build contract. In this
arrangement a single company delivers
your build to your specification.
Take specialist advice and plan ahead
If you decide to sell off part of your
garden, be clear on the extent of the land
you are transferring. This can help to
avoid boundary disputes in the future.
You will also need to ensure the two plots
have any necessary rights over each other,
including the right to run services, rights
of way and parking. If you are staying in
your home, you may also want to limit
further development or other activities
on the land you are selling. You can
usually do this by including a restrictive
covenant in the transfer.
Seek advice from your solicitor at the
earliest opportunity so that you are aware
of any legal issues affecting your property
so that you may proceed with your plans
to build on your land without any hidden
surprises or delays.
For further information about building
in your back garden, or buying or selling
a property in general, please contact Jane
Bohill on 01732 747900 or email j.bohill@
warners.law.
The contents of this article are for the purposes of general awareness only. They do not purport to constitute legal or professional advice. The law may have changed since this
article was published. Readers should not act on the basis of the information included and should take appropriate professional advice.
O
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Truhu Hasng n R
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MOONLIGHT AND
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For garden opening dates and locations
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Tickets
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A sponsored 10k coastal walk
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34
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Notebook
What to do and see near you this month
The Artist
This month, visit Belgravia Gallery in Cranleigh to see artworks
by Nelson Mandela in a truly inspirational exhibition, telling
the story of his life and country. The works are fresh and bright
and further testament to Mandela’s ability to overcome adversity
and see the positive in even the most negative situations.
The great man’s drawings and words document memories of his
time on Robben Island, including the prison hospital ward which
was the only place where political prisoners crossed paths with
the other inmates. This place became a lifeline of news from the
outside world – it is where they learnt that the tide of opinion was
turning against the apartheid regime. A must-see for art lovers and
those interested in one of the greatest figures of the 21st century.
Each artwork is signed by Mandela and has been verified. The work
will be on show at Belgravia Gallery’s exhibition space in Cranleigh.
You can also see and purchase some of Mandela’s artworks online.
For more information on signed art by Nelson
Mandela contact Belgravia Gallery.
belgraviagallery.com
Place,
Easter at
the Estate
For a more dignified Easter option,
visit the stunning Salomons Estate in
Royal Tunbridge Wells. The historic
site holds group tours and coach
parties from every corner of the UK,
offering dinner, guest accommodation
and breakfast from just £55 per
person. For Easter they have a special
menu which can be enjoyed in the
comfort of Pub and Dining Rooms or
in the conservatory which overlooks
the beautiful grounds and lakes.
Every child will get a chocolate egg
and after lunch you can enjoy a walk
around 36 acres of beautiful grounds
and woodland. salomons-estate.com
Wh
W
British artist,
Barbara Walker, create
Place, Space and Who over a
month residency at Turner Contem
in an exploration of identity and b
featuring sound and portraits of f
and girls from the African Dia
in Margate and Kent. It opens T
April, but runs until Sunday
turnerconte
Space & Wh
o
35
Notebook
STAY
life interesting while
you’re spending time
INKeep at home this month.
Our website,
priceless-magazines.com, is
our own little treasure trove
of amusements. You’ll find
delicious recipes, beautiful
interiors, home
workouts, gardening
advice, and all of
our past issues for
some light reading.
in style
Getting food deliveries is an essential element of staying
home, and now is is a great time to support smaller
businesses. Lots of local farm shops deliver so they are
worth checking. Abel & Cole (abelandcole.co.uk),
Hello Fresh (hellofresh.co.uk),), and Riverford Organic Farmers
(riverford.co.uk)) are all great options too. Explore them if if you’re
feeling starved of new experiences, as they deliver on exciting
recipe boxes, and prioritise ethical standards and sustainability.
“I want to build a
supportive community
so no one feels alone.”
Don’t forget the dogs! If your pups
are feeling a little too cooped up
and in need of a treat, try Butternut
Box. Their pawsonalised meal plans
start from just £1.31 a day for a vetapproved,
grain free meal, made in the
UK with 60% meat, 40% vegetables
and absolutely none of the nasties.
butternutbox.com
Because so many people
are struggling mentally
and physically, our wellbeing
guru, Sarah Maxwell, is
generously offering up her time for
free. Check out her Facebook page
(@sarahmaxwelllifestyle) where she has
a free weekly wellness programme,
for all levels, on Thursdays at
6pm. These sessions aim to give
you 20 minutes of gentle exercise
that can be done at home,
to help with the immune
system, stress management
and anxiety. Plus, take a
look at the Bookfit app
for live classes which have been
cut in price or Sarah’s website
(sarahmaxwell.com) for online
courses. Wealden Times
readers can get 60% off the
courses with discount code
C19, which you can then keep
and use when you choose.
Use discount
code C19 for
60% off online
wellbeing courses at
sarahmaxwell.com
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36
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ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE
My life came to a standstill with agonising back
pain… but now I’m back to health after IDD Therapy
After her
IDD Therapy
programme,
Jane can now
enjoy family
life again.
Property Investor, Jane Kent had
never had a back problem before,
but last year her life was suddenly
put on hold by debilitating pain
and immobility.
Jane explains: “Over recent years we’ve moved
house a lot; lifting furniture and boxes had
become a way of life. Then last September I
started an RHS course and began to enjoy
gardening; no doubt this switched my back
on to ‘high alert’. Then my husband became
ill, so I slept in our spare room for weeks; I
remember having to sit on the edge of the bed
each morning waiting for my back to ‘realign’
before I got up.”
Things took a turn for the worse when
Jane did some heavy-duty DIY: “The fi nal
straw came when my gigantic new bookcase
arrived; after a two-hour installation, my back
suddenly felt ‘different’. At fi rst, bending felt
awkward; certain muscles in my lower back felt
permanently clenched.”
Jane tried to manage the pain herself but soon
had to seek help: “I had some physiotherapy
and acupuncture, without much success.
Eventually, my GP arranged an MRI scan.
In the weeks before the scan, things went
downhill quickly: a shooting sciatic pain
radiated down my left leg and I felt a burning
ache around my abdomen.”
Jane’s pain was completely debilitating and
soon her life was ruled by it. “I’ve never
experienced anything like it; the pain was
relentless. I could only walk slowly, sitting was
unbearable and normal daily activities were
almost impossible; my lack of mobility had a
huge impact on me. I was prescribed strong
painkillers but these only worked for 3-4 hours;
I was quickly up to my daily limit – despite my
reluctance to take them.”
Jane had her MRI scan in February; the news
was not good: “My surgeon said that because
two prolapsed discs were pressing on the
spinal nerve, surgery was the only answer; he
suggested a spinal injection in the meantime. I
left feeling bleak; I hadn’t even contemplated
a major operation, and I was uneasy at the
prospect.”
James Pickering’s team is changing the lives of
slipped disc and sciatica sufferers with IDD Therapy
After some research, Jane’s husband found IDD
Therapy, a targeted disc treatment for persistent
back pain, neck pain and sciatica. The
non-invasive therapy uses gentle pulling forces
to draw apart spinal segments where discs are
bulging or damaged, removing pressure and
irritation from trapped nerves.
Jane saw that IDD Therapy was being offered
at Wealden Osteopaths and Spine Centre in
Goudhurst. The expert team led by James
Pickering uses the programme to help patients
who fi nd themselves on a merry-go-round of
painkillers, physiotherapy and GP visits.
“James reassured me that IDD Therapy would
not just relieve my symptoms but actually
target the prolapsed discs. As my life had
ground to a halt by this time, I focused on
attending frequent and regular sessions over
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the results immediately:
the sciatic pain stopped
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The IDD programme was a success and
things turned around quickly for Jane: “I was
astonished to feel the results immediately: the
sciatic pain stopped almost instantly. The gentle
treatment sessions were so relaxing, I began to
look forward to them. Soon I had my mobility
and independence back; it felt wonderful.
I’ve now taken up Pilates and I’ve completed
my Day Skipper Course with the Torbay
Sea School – something I could never have
imagined when my pain was at its worst. I can’t
recommend IDD Therapy and James’s team
highly enough.”
Don’t let back pain, neck pain or sciatica put
your life on hold. For a FREE 15 minute
phone consultation with one of our experts,
call 01580 212833 or email us at
enquiries@wealdenosteopaths.co.uk
ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE
Milbourn Equine Vets is a local
100% equine practice spanning
Kent and East Sussex. We also
have a sister company, Cinque Ports Vets
which has been providing small animal
services since their first branch opened (at
that time a mixed practice) in Rye in 1930.
We both aim to provide gold standard
care and a compassionate service,
and hope to achieve personal trusting
relationships with our clients. We have a
practice ethos of a happy team, healthy
horses and pets and satisfied clients!
We have a large equine team at Milbourn
Equine helping us to achieve this. It
consists of 10 equine vets with a broad
range of interests, all of whom are
committed to providing excellent care
for your horse, pony and donkey (or
even the odd alpaca!) Whether you are
a happy hacker or international eventer
we offer a high standard of care with
our range of services. Our vets are ably
assisted by our clinic and support team
who make sure we stay organised!
Depending on your requirements
we offer a range of services to help
provide you with the best care.
Whether you require an annual
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planning on breeding from your
mare or have a horse which requires
a poor performance investigation
we are happy to help!
Our new office at Unit 1B Denne Hill
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Ashford
Tel: 01233 500505
Canterbury
Tel: 01227 200992
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Hawkhurst
Tel: 01580 752301
Rye
Tel: 01797 208128
Cinque Ports Vets have a
dedicated small animal practice
team working across our 6
branches. We offer a range of services
from your pet’s annual booster and
health check to endoscopy and
echocardiography. Our Rye branch
is also able to offer the advanced
technique of keyhole surgery for
your dog’s neutering procedure.
Our Ashford RCVS accredited Hospital
is proud to hold Gold ISFM Cat
Friendly status with all our branches
implementing a cat friendly approach
to our feline patients. You can find out
more about what this means for your
cat on our website. Our nurses also
provide free nurse appointments for a
range of services from senior clubs to
administering worming tablets (for when
you cat becomes all teeth and claws!)
www.cinqueportsvets.co.uk
Ashford
Tel: 01233 640022
Tenterden
Tel: 01580 763309
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Tel: 01797 222265
Lydd
Tel: 01797 321771
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Tel: 01580 752187
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Don’t forget our branches offer a range of convenient appointment
times until 7pm as well as Saturday appointments.
We look forward to welcoming you soon!
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ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE
Itch
Scratch
Cycle
Looking out of the window
at the miserable gloomy
skies it is good to remember
that Spring and Summer are just
around the corner. Many of us
will be looking forward to the
warmer weather and enjoying
some sunnier dog walks.
However the change in seasons can
mean months of scratching and
itching for many sensitive animals,
particularly our dogs.
Although there can be many reasons
for your pet scratching themselves,
parasites and allergies are by far the
commonest. We always recommend
making sure pet is up to date with
their flea treatments, especially
during the summer months when
flea problems can quickly escalate.
Compared to people who develop
hay fever when exposed to particular
allergens or pollens our pets will start
to scratch and over-groom. In some
instances all that will be seen is a
reddish-brown discolouration of the
fur. Others will develop bald patches
and some can enter an itch/scratch
cycle where sores can develop due to
the self trauma, which creates further
itching and scratching, causing a very
uncomfortable ongoing problem.
There are a wide variety of allergens
that our sensitive pets can be
affected by including some foods,
environmental pollens, house dust
and storage mites, even flea saliva!
Identifying the particular culprit
for each pet can be difficult, your
vet might suggest a blood test
or sampling of the itchy skin.
The best treatment for animals with
allergies is to avoid the allergen
itself. Unfortunately this is not
always possible, or an exact allergen
cannot always be found. In these
cases medication can be given to
reduce the itchiness and combat
any secondary infection created by
scratching or licking. If longer term
treatments are needed there are
some cases where it may be possible
to make an immunotherapy vaccine
to gradually desensitise your pet to
the offending allergen. Alternatively
there are medications that can
be used to reduce the itchiness
by altering the improper immune
response created by the animal,
these are designed to be used for
longer periods when needed.
Although most allergies usually
have to be managed rather than
cured, please come and visit
us if your pet is plagued by the
summer itch as we can make them
a lot comfier, and free to enjoy
the warmer weather with you.
Ashford - 01233 640022
Lydd - 01797 321771
Tenterden - 01580 763309
Hawkhurst - 01580 752187
Wye - 01233 813003
Rye - 01797 222265
www.cinqueportsvets.co.uk
The purpose of Wealden Times has always been to
deliver a comprehensive round-up of life in the
Weald and all the reasons people decide to make it
their home. From its stunning houses, gorgeous gardens and
outdoor spaces, to wonderful local shops, restaurants and
businesses, there’s so much this area has to offer. It’s at tricky
times like these that you realise how privileged we are to be
immersed in a region where community spirit still thrives.
If you’re housebound for any period of time over what
could sadly be a very trying few months ahead, don’t forget
about why you chose to make your home in the Weald
in the first place and we hope that reading our magazines
can provide some uplifting relief. You can access our page
turners online, browse past articles on our website, pick up
a copy from a whole host of local shops and train stations
and even have it sent out to you for just the cost of the
postage – visit wealdentimes.co.uk for more information.
In the meantime, please continue to enjoy our shoots – we’ve
two amazing homes in this issue, wonderful Easter recipes from
Anna Stanford and our usual mix of beauty and wellbeing
news, alongside our comprehensive garden supplement
which is packed full of ideas and advice for all those who
are blessed with green fingers, or who are keen to learn.
Enjoy your Wealden Times!
Editor’s
Letter
Thomas
Mansfield
The Family Law Solicitors
WILL YOUR DIVORCE COST
YOU EVERYTHING?
When it comes to the breakdown of a
relationship, seeking specialist advice on
the financial arrangements is crucial.
At Thomas Mansfield, we have a team of
experienced lawyers ready to help you
achieve the right outcome.
Finances Children Collaborative Mediation Court
We are with you every step of the way
Wealden Times Team
Editor ............................................................................................ Lucy Fleming
Deputy Editor ..................................................................................Emily Pavey
News & Features Editor ...............................................................Rebecca Cuffe
Fashion Editor ............................................................................. Kate Liz Watts
Design .........................................................................................Powerful Pierre
Design Director ..........................................................................Anthony Boxall
Design Team ................................................................................ Ryan Huggins
Phoebe O’Leary
Tanya Goldsmith
Executive Chairman ...................................................................... Julie Simpson
Managing Director .............................................................. Vivien Cotterill-Lee
Sales Manager ................................................................................... Jen Shearer
Senior Account Manager ................................................................ Sara Henslow
Maria Hurley
Rachel Norrie
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Dressed to Impress
Words: Jennifer Stuart-Smith Photographs: David Merewether Styling: Lucy Fleming
The transformation of a Grade II listed building, which once served as a
public house before becoming an oriental restaurant, has been 20 years in
the making for creative couple Jane and Rob – enlisting the help of many
talented friends and designers to create something pretty unique
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Previous pages: The dining room table used to be Rob’s
meeting room table, from his office in London. Both the
artwork on the wall behind the dining table and the suit
hanging from the ceiling in the corner were created by Rob.
This page: The bottles displayed in a cosy side snug room
were from Rob’s father who was an old-school pharmacist
Describing a house as ‘tardis-like’ is a typical estate
agent’s euphemism – suggesting that a house has
more to offer than is perhaps evident from the
outside. In the case of Rob and Jane’s house – a former pub
on the edge of the Weald in Kent – the size of the building
comes as little surprise. It’s obviously a substantial pad.
There are, however, a few clues on the outside to suggest
that this might be a rather special home. The words:
‘Saloon’, ‘Public Bar’ and ‘Dining Room’ etched into the
front windows is not something you see every day…
“It’s quite funny how people react,” says Jane, of the
Grade II listed former pub. “People say, ‘Oh, isn’t it a shame
you had to keep those windows!’ They’re pretty rare these
days.” It’s clear that Rob and Jane wouldn’t have it any
other way. It’s also evident that if any homeowners can rock
this original feature, it’s them. Rob, a creative director in
the music industry and Jane, whose career was in fashion
retail, have worked their creative magic on this building
over 20 years. Throw in the input of talented friends and
designers and you’ve got something pretty unique – and not
what you would expect to find in your average village.
“When we first moved here we lived upstairs in what
is now Rob’s studio while we ripped out the downstairs
and opened it all up,” says Jane. Originally, the ground
floor was dark and dingy, with lots of small rooms, linked
by a central corridor – plus lots of fire doors. The floors
were rotten, from years of spilt beer, and faux historic
49 wealdentimes.co.uk
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The sunny room is the most
modern, and brightest, room in the
house. A lime green modernist chair
and footstool share the room with a
circular glass coffee table, minimalist
chairs and simple oak shelves
Above: A piece by the artist Wreckage, a member of an art
co-operative called the Mutoid Waste Company, painted on a
panel of a fighter jet, hangs above the woodburner in the sitting
room Left: Harvey Jones fitted out the kitchen
decor hid the genuine old structure underneath.
“We were very lucky,” says Rob. “We had a friend, a
former neighbour, who was an architect specialising in
old buildings. When Nick came in and said, ‘We’ll take
these walls down, and put in this kind of goalpost RSJ
thing’, it sounded like a big-old engineering feat.” But
they trusted his judgement and the budget just about
allowed for it. “When we walked in the door for the first
time and saw the view and the light… we knew we’d
made the right decision,” says Rob. The only hitch was
that they ran out of money when it came to fitting the
doors. “We planned to have oak doors to the snug and the
kitchen,” says Rob. “But we thought, ‘It doesn’t look too
bad without doors, let’s try it.’ Now we love it without.”
The couple, who met at school, lived and worked in
London for many years. Their first flat was in Shepherd’s
Bush, then Parsons Green, before they bought a Regency
maisonette in Camden. “That was when we got our taste for
doing up period homes,” says Jane. After that, they moved to
Boughton-under-Blean in Kent before finding their current
home. “This is the longest we have ever stayed in one
wealdentimes.co.uk
52
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Interiors
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Right: The stairs were covered in thick
black paint and were stripped back. A loo
had been located where there is now a
window halfway up the stairs
place,” says Rob, and it’s clear that they
love it here. “It’s a big house… But we
just love space. Space feels like more of
a luxury to me than wealth,” he adds.
They are not the only ones who
love this house, interviewer aside.
“We’ve had quite a few long-term
guests – people who have come
for a few days and stayed longer,”
says Rob. “My godson came for
an emergency two-week break and
was here for six months”. It is also
a fantastic house at Christmas,
they add, with all six bedrooms
easily accommodating family…
Filling the downstairs of the house
would take some doing and, in recent
years, the couple have even hosted
one or two am-dram productions.
“The stilettos killed the parquet,”
laughs Jane. The mere fact that they
allowed a drama group to perform
in their house says a lot about the
couple’s relaxed, welcoming attitude
and despite the beauty of the place,
there’s no sense of preciousness.
Visitors arrive through a lightfilled
lobby at the rear of the
house. This leads into a small,
55 wealdentimes.co.uk
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“Space feels like more of a luxury to me than wealth,” says Rob
57 wealdentimes.co.uk
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Above: The shelving in Jane’s workroom-cum-dressing room came from an old haberdasher’s in Birchington.
“He was closing down, so I put a note through the door saying, ‘If you’re going to get rid of the shelving,
please can I buy it?’ It houses all my junk really; hairdryers, bits and bobs,” says Jane
bright lounge (the ‘sunny room’) or through the kitchen,
into a vast dining/living room. At the other end is the
snug, downstairs washroom and sauna. “We spend most
of our time in the little snug at the back of the house,”
says Jane. “We like the ‘sunny room’ in the mornings,
maybe for a coffee, but when you want to chill out at
the end of the day, it’s the smallest, darkest room that
we head to. I think that’s what we do as humans.”
The sunny room, home to a selection of contemporary,
graphic prints – including Rob’s favourite, by Eduardo
Paolozzi – is the most modern room in the house. A
lime green modernist chair and footstool share the
room with a circular glass coffee table, minimalist
chairs and simple oak shelves. “This is the newest part
of the building, in the sense that it’s Victorian,” says
Rob. The interior décor, however, is anything but.
“We decorated the room around the Paolozzi print,” says
Rob. “It was an accidental find. We were window shopping
on a Sunday in Covent Garden and it was in a furniture
shop. We didn’t like any of the furniture, but we loved
that print. I said to Jane, looking through the window,
‘I’m sure that’s a Paolozzi print’. So we phoned the shop
the next day and spoke to a guy called Tommy Roberts, a
barrow-boy made good in the fashion industry, who started
a company called Practical Styling. I think he just needed
some cash at the time, so he sold it to us quite reasonably.”
Across the main room, I have to see what the snug
is all about… “There’s a bit of a churchy theme going
59 wealdentimes.co.uk
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There seems to be little creative tension between the couple, who agree that
they work well together: “We’ve got similar tastes – we discuss colours – but I
tend to paint,” says Jane. “And I tend to sketch out ideas,” adds Rob.
61 wealdentimes.co.uk
Above: The brightly coloured patchwork day bed was created, bespoke, for Jane by Squint in Shoreditch. Hanging on the wall behind
is an equally bright painting by Nathan Pendlebury
on in here,” says Jane, “though neither of us is terribly
religious”. A marble carving is set in the wall, featuring
the symbols Alpha & Omega – from the cradle to the
grave. “We like mixing religious themes with pub décor,”
says Rob. A prayer board, written in Arabic and found in
Marrakesh, hangs on the wall, next to a salvaged chapel
door that leads through to the sauna and downstairs shower
room. “We brought the door with us when we moved,
so we had to find somewhere for it to fit!” says Jane.
Next to the impressive door is an old dresser, stacked
with quirky glassware and curios. “The bottles came from
my father, who was an old-school pharmacist,” says Rob.
“He had a lot of old bottles. Now, if I see a bottle, and
I like the label, I buy it.” It’s the perfect alternative to a
cabinet of curiosities, with added authenticity given the
family connection. “We like it being a bit dusty too… It
wealdentimes.co.uk
62
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This page: The master bed was found
in an antique shop in Lewes
adds to it. I’m allowed to dust it once or twice a year,” says Jane.
Next to the snug are the stairs. Wide, solid and with rustic,
turned bannisters, they are a suitably grand heart to this
substantial home. At the top of the first flight is a pretty leaded
window, looking out over the terraced rear garden. A wide
windowsill is home to an historic-looking typewriter and wide
enough to sit on: “This area used to be a toilet,” says Jane.
“There was a sweet little loo, or water closet, which I am sure
was for the bar staff. Nick suggested we put a nice, recessed
window in instead. Rob campaigned very hard to keep the
toilet… I don’t know why, as there were loos everywhere!”
Upstairs we get to see the generous number of bath and
washrooms, starting first with what has been nicknamed ‘the
dog’s bathroom’. Harvey, a seven-year-old caramel-coloured
65 wealdentimes.co.uk
This page: The attic bedrooms have a darker, more historic feel
cockerpoo, is an extremely lucky boy, though I am not sure
he fully appreciates the artworks on the wall, or Jane’s use
of Farrow & Ball’s ‘Stony Ground’ on the walls. That said,
neither does Rob: “I’m a bit more of a colourful person”.
That said, there seems to be little creative tension between
the couple, who agree that they work well together: “We’ve
got similar tastes – we discuss colours – but I tend to paint,”
says Jane. “And I tend to sketch out ideas,” adds Rob.
Back to the dog’s bathroom (the nickname is very much
tongue-in-cheek): “Much of the woodwork is by our friend
Michael, who’s a retired woodwork teacher. He’s done a
lot of these surfaces and details. The artwork is by Michele
Rossi, one of our designers at Stylorouge. The people in
the images are all Italian friends of his.” Rob adds that he
wished he had been the creator of these fabulous photos,
splashed across the surface with fluorescent, lava-like paint.
Ever modest, the house is full of amazing work by Rob
and his team at Stylorouge – the company he founded
in 1981. Only after our interview and tour of the house
do I discover that Rob and Stylorouge are responsible for
a plethora of famous images and campaigns including
the globally recognisable Trainspotting poster, as
wealdentimes.co.uk
66
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67 wealdentimes.co.uk
PortraitKitchensWT217A.indd 1 31/01/2020 15:18
Upstairs it’s easy to imagine {the guest bedrooms} as accommodation in a country
inn, though these days they would be more suited to a boutique hotel
well as album covers for the likes of Blur, Squeeze,
Dusty Springfield, David Bowie and many more.
Upstairs, on the first floor, the bathrooms and bedrooms
are linked by a long, main corridor. It’s easy to imagine
them as accommodation in a country inn, though these
days they would be more suited to a boutique hotel. The
master bedroom, as one might expect, has a large en suite
with marble-topped bath and decent-sized walk-in shower.
“The shower is in an old stairwell that we uncovered
when doing building work,” says Rob. The couple’s
French-style, upholstered bed was from an antique shop
in Lewes, while the brightly coloured patchwork day bed
was created, bespoke, for Jane by Squint in Shoreditch.
On the wall, and perfectly paired, is an equally
bright painting. The artwork is by Rob’s friend, Nathan
Pendlebury, who gave it to him as a thank you for being
commissioned by Stylorouge. “We just put it there and
thought how well it went with the day bed,” says Jane. “I
am always moving stuff around from one room to another
– nothing’s fixed.” “I call it merchandising,” laughs Rob.
On the other side of the corridor is Jane’s workroomcum-dressing
room. It’s a neat example of Jane’s style
and approach to the house. “The shelving is from an
old haberdasher’s in Birchington, where my mum used
to live,” she says. “He was closing down, so I put a
note through the door, saying, ‘If you’re going to get
rid of the shelving, please can I buy it?’ It houses all
my junk really; hairdryers, bits and bobs.” Next to the
shelving is an original Biba poster from the 1970s, the
pendant lamp is handmade by Jane from a bowler
69 wealdentimes.co.uk
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wealdentimes.co.uk
70
GeorgeandJamesWT217.indd 1 18/02/2020 14:40
This page: The courtyard back garden consisits of terraced borders and a raised central
lawn. The original stables and hayloft now serve as ample storage for garden tools
hat while on top of the shelving sit a variety of vintage hat boxes.
Everything about this house is personal to Rob and Jane, rather than being
a showy, designer home. It’s also undeniably homely and welcoming with no
sense of ‘take your shoes off at the door’. “We inhabit our house like a body,”
says Rob. It’s clearly a symbiotic relationship that benefits both the house and
its residents… and, for a limited time, anyone who is lucky enough to visit.
Address Book:
Find out more about Rob’s company,
Stylorouge, at stylorouge.co.uk
Mutoid Waste Company joerush.com
Architect Nathan Pendlebury
nathanpendlebury.co.uk
Nicholas J Hobbs 07857 287691
Prints maddogsandenglishmen.co
71 wealdentimes.co.uk
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paint, £49.99/2.5l, Dowsing and Reynolds dowsingandreynolds.com 5 Stanley Chesterfield three-seater sofa bed,
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frenchbedroomcompany.co.uk 9 Antique painted hat box, £165, Shimu shimu.co.uk
73 wealdentimes.co.uk
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sourced sustainable timber a smaller carbon footprint is created than imported timber.
Managing woodland also creates employment in the rural economy.
01580 819179 07759 567801 www.southeastforestry.co.uk
wealdentimes.co.uk
74
SouthEastForrestryWT217.indd 1 13/02/2020 10:45
4th, 5th & 6th June 2020
HOLE PARK Rolvenden TN17 4JB
TICKETS
ON SALE
NOW
Pre-book discounted
tickets online now using
code WT1
Sponsored by
TICKETS ON SALE NOW 01580 236071 wealdentimes.co.uk/events
*Discount available on adult tickets only when used in conjunction with a voucher code. Offer valid until 03.06.20
75 wealdentimes.co.uk
Shopping Secrets
You will be spoilt for choice at Wealden Time Midsummer Fair from 4th-6th June,
boasting more than 250 handpicked stalls spilling out on to the lawns of Hole Park.
Selling everything from stunning collectibles to handmade fashion and beautiful
items for your garden, there is something for everyone whether you are just browsing
or on a serious shopping spree! As there is so much choice, we turned to the Wealden
Times team for their insider shopping tips on what to look out for this summer…
LUCY FLEMING, EDITOR
absolutely adore the leopard
I rug from This Wild House that my
mum and I found at the fair for my daughter’s
bedroom last year. I’ve picked up so many
gorgeous things from our fairs over the years,
it’s hard to narrow them down, but I do love a
huge crystal ring that I bought from one of our
earliest stallholders, Veronique Designs. She used
to make statement jewellery with huge natural
stones, shells and curiosities that she hand-set
in silver. It remains one of my favourite finds.
We recently photographed Sadie Dorchester’s
home for the magazine, and I’m so looking
forward to seeing her colour block ottomans at
the Midsummer Fair. My family is a massive
fan of Thomas Cookie, so I’ll definitely be
making a beeline to their stand for their
incredibly moreish artisan cookies.
wealdentimes.co.uk
“I’ve picked up
so many gorgeous
things from our
fairs over the years,
it’s hard to narrow
them down”
VIVIEN COTTERILL-LEE, MANAGING DIRECTOR
love my Birdie London Jumper that I bought at
I the Midwinter Fair. I also love the Fashion
Loft, I bought a gorgeous fluffy jacket –
always end up with something less ordinary
and something I wouldn’t always buy, but
the girls, Amanda and Sophie, are so good
at pushing you out of your fashion comfort
zone! It’s like personal shopping at Selfridges!
At the Midsummer Fair I enjoy the garden
inspiration. I would love a fruit tree and anything from Around
the Garden Table – such a gorgeous stand. My favourite thing
about the fair is talking to the stall holders. They are all so
passionate about what they do and it just rubs off on you and
makes buying twice as nice! I’m also saving for an Amulette ring!!
76
See Around the
Garden Table at
Wealden Times
Midsummer
Fair this June
“My favourite thing about
the fair is talking to the
stall holders. They are all so
passionate about what they do”
JUDE BROWN, ACCOUNT MANAGER - EVENTS
As soon as we start taking bookings from exhibitors
for the fair (seven months beforehand), I start
selecting things I would like to buy. Every week running
up to the fair I add something else to my shopping wish list, it’s
a nightmare! I love buying clothes so by the time the show arrives
I try to select one ‘investment item’ which I’ll wear to death. I
bought a lovely blue top two years ago from No 3,
which I have worn many times. I am already looking
forward to wearing it when the sun comes out!
I’m excited about browsing the homewear
stands this year for our newly decorated cottage,
particularly the new collection from Three
Grey, alongside Ibbi for glasswear, Wonki
Wear ceramics and baskets… I can’t wait!
See Ibbi at
Wealden Times
Midsummer
Fair this June
See Homebody
Décor at
Wealden Times
Midsummer
Fair this June
FLO SIMPSON, SHOW DIRECTOR
“Last year
I bought
a fabulous
gold octopus
candleholder
that gets a lot
of compliments!”
Last year I bought a fabulous
gold octopus candleholder
from Homebody Décor
which I love and it gets
a lot of compliments!
The lovely exhibitor
even let me buy the
pink candles with it that
were only meant to be used
as display. And black bomber cheese – it’s
my husband’s absolute favourite and I’m
always in trouble if I don’t come home
with some from The Cheese & Pie Man.
This summer I’m focusing on getting
my garden looking lovely. Having put in a
vegetable patch and some new borders last
year, I’m excited to fill them with bits from
the Canterbury Oast Trust who always have
such a great selection of plants. I’ll also be
keeping an eye out for some of the other
outdoor exhibitors with gardening bits such
as Around the Garden Table and Potting Up.
ANTHONY BOXALL,
DESIGN & PRODUCTION DIRECTOR
One of my favourite purchases from the fair
was a rusty flower for the garden! I’ve
worked at Wealden Times for 17 years and
every year, I really enjoy the atmosphere of
the Midsummer Fair. I particularly like some
of the outdoor stalls and I’ve had my eye on
the Pizza Ovens from Firepod for a while now.
I normally head straight to the food, while my
wife goes around the stalls. This year, I am looking
forward to getting something to eat at Spade &
Spoon, washed down with something from Booze
Hounds. And then to Simply Ice Cream to finish
off. It’s a great day out if you are a foodie like me.
“I’ve had my eye on the Pizza Ovens
from Firepod for a while now”
See Firepod at
Wealden Times
Midsummer
Fair this June
“Every week i add
something else to my
shopping wish list,
it’s a nightmare!”
Online tickets: wealdentimes.co.uk/events
77 wealdentimes.co.uk
New Exhibitors for 2020
If you love fashion, browsing artisan items for your
home and garden and locally sourced food and drink,
the Wealden Time Midsummer Fair is the perfect day
out from Thursday 4 to Saturday 6 June. Shoppers will
be in heaven at Hole Park, browsing marquees bursting
with hundreds of new and familiar exhibitors. Look out
for new fashion label Kate Barton and nature-inspired
garden art from A Blackbird Sang. Come for a great day
out and leave with beautiful purchases to treasure forever.
1
TICKETS
ON SALE
NOW
HOTLINE:
01580 236071
3
7
2
4 5
6
Online tickets: wealdentimes.co.uk/events
9
8
10
1. Bahati Trust bahatitrust.com 2. SIGIBHU sigibhu.com 3. The Pished Fish thepishedfish.com 4. A Blackbird Sang ablackbirdsang.com
5. Lottie Murphy lottie-murphy.com 6. Clare Johnston clarejohnston.com 7. Emilia Hunt emiliahunt.com
8. Talolo Boots taloloboots.com 9. Pippa & Company pippaandcompany.co.uk 10. Foxology foxologyclothing.com
For a full list of exhibitors, see wealdentimes.co.uk/events.
Dominic Walmsley
jewellery
Hinged
Ashford Golf Club
Special 2020 Open Package
The 2020 open will return to
Royal St Georges in July for
the fi rst time since 2011.
Celebrate in style with a game
of golf at Ashford Golf Club, a
beautiful Parkland Course just
minutes’ from the M20 (Junction
9) either on your way to the
Open or on your return having
seen some entertaining golf.
With many local hotels within
easy reach, this venue is
ideal for those wishing to
play a challenging course in
the Heart of Kent to add to
their overall experience.
Golf Package
Just £55 per person for 18
holes of Golf (including bacon
roll and coffee on arrival).
At last, a solution to
arthritic fingers for
jewellery lovers.
3 The Square • Riverhead
01732 779 555 • www.dominicwalmsley.com
Est London 1991
To book a tee time and any
further catering requirements,
phone the Pro Shop on
01233 622655 - Group
bookings welcome.
Sandyhurst Lane, Ashford, Kent, TN25 4NT
www.ashfordgolfclub.co.uk
DominicWalmsleyWT216.indd 1 17/01/2020 AshfordGolfClubWT215.indd 15:28
1 16/12/2019 14:43
Wealden Times Hinged ring.indd 1 16/01/2020 18:18:51
If you're thinking
about moving to
a new home...
we can help
Expert legal advice from our Residential Property team.
Please contact Myfanwy McDonagh
01227 274241
info@furleypage.co.uk
furleypage.co.uk
Knowledge. Experience. Results.
Canterbury Chatham Whitstable
79 wealdentimes.co.uk
FurleyPageWT218.indd 1 02/03/2020 14:45
L O N D O N
Tunbridge Wells . 79 Calverley Road . TN1 2UY . 01892 548111
Oxshott . 1 High Street . KT22 0JN . 01372 841730
wealdentimes.co.uk
80
shelf
LOVE
2020 is the year for personal, unique, and individual interiors and shelves are the
perfect place to express yourself with all of your favourite things
Left to right: Handpainted elephant, £29.50, Trading
Boundaries tradingboundaries.com, Balance poster,
from £6.95, Desino desenio.co.uk, Hand-painted bowl
with red, gold and silver leaf finish, £75, Elstead
Lighting elsteadlighting.com, Paprika hourglass,
£18, Rose & Grey roseandgrey.co.uk
Left to right: Lavender and Lovage candle, £48, Jo Malone
jomalone.co.uk, Record cover frame, £9.95, Rex London
rexlondon.com, Inca fluted vase, £69, India Jane
indiajane.co.uk, Anthropologie Home ‘Hello
Beautiful’ mirror, £34, Amara amara.com,
‘Harriet The Hare’ ornament, £22,
Next next.co.uk
Left to right: Fritz Hansen ‘Ikebana vase’, £90, Nest, nest.co.uk,
Notting Hill Row Print, £20, Annie Montgomery Design
anniemontgomerydesign.com, Dino Ring holder, £10,
Oliver Bonas oliverbonas.com, Supergal Bookend,
£24, Red Candy redcandy.co.uk
81 wealdentimes.co.uk
Beautiful bespoke shop in a gorgeous setting. Full of quirky
items including gifts & cards, furniture, ladies’ clothing,
jewellery, handbags, scarves & much more.
A warm welcome is guaranteed.
Open six days a week Monday- Saturday inclusive.
Complimentary coffee & wrapping.
Visit soon - you won’t be disappointed.
01580 713778
www.everndeninteriors.co.uk
info@everndeninteriors.co.uk
Stone Street • Cranbrook • TN17 3HF
With immediate effect we can take online orders. Please
also follow us on Facebook where we showcase a wealth
of unique, quirky & gorgeous items available 24/7.
07503 287632
The Granary, Potten Farm, Main Road, Sellindge, Nr Ashford, TN25 6EQ
“The key to great design is capturing the spirit
of the client & the essence of the space”
EverndenInteriorsWT218.indd 1 02/03/2020 Hobbs&HeartsWT218.indd 17:00
1 17/03/2020 11:53
Seeking Spring inspiration for your home?
offer an interior design & home
staging service plus handmade curtains, blinds,
upholstery and lampshades. Contact us for an
appointment on 01580 848303 / 07400 522081
We also offer lots of Easter goodies including:
Gifts l Cards l Chocolate l Cushions l Jewellery
Plants l Clothing l Lighting l Decorative Objects
Paintings including original artwork by
Claire Fletcher l Rugs and lots more
Plus
Creative classes for 2020
starting soon - contact us for
further information and to
register your interest
The Corner Shop,
Hawkhurst, TN18 4ER
Opening Hours: Wednesday -
Saturday 10am to 5pm
www.oohhowlovely.co.uk
01580 848303
www.oohhowlovely.co.uk
Annabel Faraday
NEW WORK
RYE SOCIETY OF ARTISTS
28 MARCH - 26 APRIL
RYE ART GALLERY
107 HIGH STREET RYE TN31 7JE
WWW.RYEARTGALLERY.CO.UK
wealdentimes.co.uk
82
OohHowLovelyWT218.indd 1 09/03/2020 RyeArtGalleryWT218.indd 11:25
1 04/03/2020 16:33
See Nostara
at Wealden
Times Midsummer
Fair this June
Left to right: Wooden hand, £20, Nest nest.co.uk, Easter terrarium, £12, Sainsbury’s, sainsburys.co.uk, Morning Sands
by Anthony Waller, £157.50, Concepts of Rye conceptsrye.com, Luxury scented candle, £35, Nostara
nostara.com, ‘Darcy’ radio, £53.13, GPO Retro gporetro.com, ‘Camila’ teapot, £34, Oliver Bonas oliverbonas.com,
Solar powered monkey with bulb, £16, Sainsbury’s sainsburys.co.uk, Lene Bjerre ‘Selenia’ Vase, £125, Sweetpea &
Willow sweetpeaandwillow.com, Artificial apple blossom, £20, Concepts of Rye conceptsrye.com
83 wealdentimes.co.uk
EnsorInteriorDesignWT217.indd 1 10/02/2020 12:31
WT186cover.indd WoodcocksWT186.indd 1-3 1 12/07/2017 14:56
25/07/2017 15:42
PRICELESS
AUGUST 2017
SUMMER UPHOLSTERY PROMOTION
20% ALL ORDERS PLACED DURING JULY & AUGUST
186
Julie’s
first
cover
S AY E R S L A N E • T E NTE RDE N • 015 8 0 7610 0 8
WWW.W O O DCO C K S I N T E R I O R S .C O.U K
Covers
AUGUST 2017
WEDDING SupplEmENt inside
Inspirational Interiors • Fabulous Fashion • Delicious Dishes
From our very first cover – knitwear designer
Kaffe Fasset’s stunning Hastings home – to
one of our favourites, Instagrammer Lucinda
Mitra’s contemporary interior decor, there are
so many beautiful covers to look back on.
August
2017’s
cover
Furry Friends
We love to include
homeowners’ pets in our
shoots wherever possible.
Lisa Evans from Ensor
Interior Design’s gorgeous
dog soaks up some sun in
her pretty garden in this
shoot which featured in
January 2019’s issue.
One of our
favourite
gardens from
June 2015
Garden
A carpet of bluebells unrolls over a wooded
path in the garden of writer Vanessa
Nicholson’s Weald home. Her stunning
garden was created and maintained by
her plant collector husband, Andrew.
Happy 18th Birthday WT
Editor Lucy Fleming looks back fondly over the last eighteen years to
pick a few of the WT team’s favourite magazine moments
House
We feel very privileged
to have photographed
so many incredible
homes over the years
– full of creativity and
warmth. There are
certain properties that
really do stick in the
imagination, like set and
interior designer Amy
Exton’s kaleidoscopicly
vibrant Margate house.
Our
most colourful
house from
February
2018
Fashion
Ethereal wedding dresses were shot
in the stunning, lavender-filled
grounds of The Old Rectory Estate,
Bletchingley. Vibrant fresh floral
headdresses created by Blooming
Green (bloominggreenflowers.co.uk)
added a luxe touch.
Our
favourite
Fashion shoot
August 2017
“Congratulations to all at
Wealden Times on your 18
year anniversary. You guys have
been fantastic supporters over the
years with features and generally
showcasing what we do. In turn
we love the client profile that
WT offers us. Look forward to
advertising with you for another
18 years!” Paul Jenner from Bell
House Fabrics & Interiors, who have
advertised with WT from the start 84
Events
We want to say a huge thank you to all our
wonderful standholders and visitors who have
supported our Fairs over the years. This year will
be our 12th Midsummer and Midwinter Fair and
many visitors have visited each and every one since
the very start in 2009. We’re so looking forward to
welcoming old and new faces to 2020’s events.
‘Flock’ cakes
Recipe by: Jo Arnell Makes 6 finished cakes
Prep time: 30 mins Cooking time: 15 mins
One of our
favourite
recipes from
March 2013
Julie & Vivien
“I started Wealden Times because I wanted to create
a fanzine for the Weald – a magazine to celebrate
the wonderful countryside, houses, gardens and food
produced in this part of Kent and Sussex. We’re so
lucky to be near the capital city but to have beaches,
forests, farmland and lovely local towns and villages
on our doorstep. And, most importantly, we live in a
great community filled with wonderful people and you
really get a sense of this meeting the homeowners in the
monthly homes features – still one of my favourite reads
in Wealden Times!” Julie Simpson, Executive Chairman
“I feel very fortunate to live, work and raise my family
in such a beautiful area and I know from talking to
you, our readers, that you feel the same. Wealden
Times celebrates everything that we all love about the
region we call home. It gives me particular pleasure to
be able to support and promote all the local businesses
in this thriving community. I count myself incredibly
lucky to be someone who can say that they love their
job!” Vivien Cotterill-Lee, Managing Director
For the cupcakes:
• 100g caster sugar
• 100g softened butter
• 100g self-raising flour
• 2 eggs
• 1tsp vanilla essence
For the butter icing:
• 100g butter
• 200g icing sugar
• 1tsp vanilla extract
• 1tbsp milk or water (to
make icing to right consistency
use a little more or less)
1 Preheat oven to 180°C
(Gas 4). Place cake cases
into cupcake tin.
2 Using an electric whisk
beat the butter and sugar
together until light and fluffy.
Gradually add the eggs – add
a little flour towards the
end of this if it looks like
the mixture might curdle.
3 Fold in the flour and
vanilla essence, then spoon
equally into 12 cake cases.
Bake for approx. 15 mins.
4 Once you’ve made the basic
cakes (double/triple the above
ingredients as necessary), use
them to make the sheep or curd
cupcakes (following recipes).
For the sheep faces and fleeces:
• 1 pack mini marshmallows
• 1 pack mini Cadbury’s
Creme Eggs
• marzipan for the ears
(you could dip slices of
marshmallow in chocolate
and stick them on with a
little icing)
• writing icing
5 Make the sheep faces using
chocolate eggs, writing icing and
marzipan, to make the ears and
eyes (you could always dip slices
of marshmallow in chocolate
and stick them on using icing).
Leave to set for a few minutes
while you make the bodies.
6 Stick pairs of fairy cakes
together (unwrap one and
invert) with a little buttercream
to make the sheep’s bodies and
then spread buttercream all over.
7Stick the sheep heads in
place. Make the fleeces by
poking mini marshmallows
into the buttercream – I
cut them in half, as my
sheep were rather plump.
85 wealdentimes.co.uk
wealdentimes.co.uk
86
House of
Beulah
Using her own professional skills, Zoe Joannou
has transformed a classic Tunbridge Wells villa
into a glamorous space for modern living
Words: Maggie Alderson
Photographs: David Merewether Styling: Holly Levett
87 wealdentimes.co.uk
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RolinCleaningWT215.indd 1 11/12/2019 14:45
The Smart Solution to
Home Automation & Cinema
Providing bespoke home automation & cinema
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Home cinema
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01732 758985 l info@lakehome.co.uk
Lake Home AV, 9 Meadowsweet Close,
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wealdentimes.co.uk
88
LakeElectrical&LarreHomeAvWT218.indd 1 06/03/2020 15:07
Previous pages: The open-plan kitchen and dining space
This page: Crittall-style doors by Fabco Sanctuary lead out
from the dining room into the raised garden. The amazing gold
and glass light over the dining table is by Lindsey Adelman
I
started off interviewing interior designer Zoe Joannou
about her own house – but I was soon asking questions
about my own. (Specifically, what heading I should
have on the new curtains in my bedroom… there are
so many choices and it’s so complicated, who knew?)
When you are in the presence of an expert professional,
who has used her own skills and experience to transform a
fairly standard three-bedroom Tunbridge Wells Victorian villa
into a sleek contemporary four-bedroom dream home, with
boutique hotel glamour, you’d be mad not to get some tips.
For starters, one of the ways Zoe has effected such a
striking change to her house is by going big. Really big. Not
just the standard knock-through and living-kitchen extension,
she has extended the house on all three floors, using reclaimed
bricks, with new wooden sash windows. “We wanted to go
big. While we were doing it, you could stand down here
in the basement and see all the way up to the rafters…”
She also went that little bit further to raise the ceiling
height in the basement to create the perfect kitchen/dining/
family room leading out to the garden through Crittallstyle
doors. Or to put it another way: the current ideal.
“We raised the ceiling height 30cms. It is the
basement, but I didn’t want it to feel like a basement.
It meant losing 30cms from the bedroom ceiling
but it’s OK in there, to gain it down here.”
Sitting on one of the two facing teal velvet sofas,
89 wealdentimes.co.uk
No more draughty, rotten,
inefficient sash windows
The
Ringlestone
Inn
Country Pub
& Restaurant
Newly re-opened country pub
& restaurant offering seasonal,
regularly changing menus,
crafted utilising artisan methods
of whole carcass butchery, dry
curing, smoking & preserving.
The Bars at The Ringlestone Inn
are truly memorable places to
enjoy a relaxing drink or meal.
We also offer a classic menu
through our bars, including
a selection of classic pub
dishes with a twist.
Using revolutionary 10mm thick
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Á la carte and tasting menu
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Ringlestone Road, Harrietsham,
Kent, ME17 1NX
SashWindowHeritageWT187.indd 1 15/08/2017 RinglestoneInnWT215.indd 15:18
1 16/12/2019 15:50
traditional handmade
furniture
Woodworkkitchens.co.uk
wealdentimes.co.uk
Kitchens
Bedrooms
Studies
90
01892 533273
WoodworkWT216.indd 1 06/01/2020 14:06
“I have got a lot of projects for my interior design company,
House of Beulah, off the back of my own house,” Zoe says
91 wealdentimes.co.uk
Four matching large rectangular
mirrors, from West Elm, hung
square at the half landing, set
off by a very dramatic ceiling
light, with three huge dangling
golden glass bulbs – by Tala
lighting – really makes you feel
like you are in a New York hotel
This page: Lighting has been a important consideration for Zoe in every area of the house. With high ceilings throughout the house,
she’s had plenty of opportunity to experiment
next to the rear wall of steel-framed windows and looking
back and forth between the garden and the kitchen/
dining area, I can confirm it was all worth it.
And I’m not surprised to hear that several of Zoe’s neighbours
have already made enquiries to ask if she could do something
similar to their houses and at least one is already in progress.
“I have got a lot of projects for my interior design company,
House of Beulah, off the back of my own house,” she says.
Which has made all the extra investments that make
a big difference to the overall experience of this property
– such as really good quality contemporary furniture,
including the Robert Langford brass and antique mirror
coffee table between the sofas – more than worth it.
The house is also in the ideal part of Tunbridge Wells to
attract such business, in a street of lovely substantial early
Victorian villas – in various stages of renovation – just off
Camden Road, with its mix of interesting independent
businesses, including a fantastic artisan bakery and café.
Close to the main shopping area and a 15-minute
walk to the station, it’s perfect for the upwardly
mobile, young family demographic – people like
Zoe, her husband and their new baby.
This is the generation that has come of age in the current era
of the ‘social kitchen’ as the acme of modern lifestyle and so
it’s no wonder that Zoe’s particularly appeals to them – having
worked for Neptune, kitchens are one of her specialities.
It was while studying History of Art and Architecture
at Edinburgh university, that Zoe realised houses and
interiors were her thing. “It dawned on me that it was the
architectural element of the course that interested me the
most and since childhood I had been designing gardens and
interiors for my parents. Then, when I first left uni and was
working for a charity, I met a woman who was an interior
designer and realised that was what I should be doing.”
After training in interior design at the KLC design
school in Chelsea, she then worked for a London-based
architect and interior designer. “Transforming houses
very like this one… One of them had Crittall windows
put in and I thought, ‘one day I want to have that…’”
Her next job was with Neptune, training and
wealdentimes.co.uk
92
Feel good,
fly high
Open Morning
Thursday 7 th May
We
look
to delight
Our inspirational
alternative games
programme
includes climbing
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To find out more please email Georgie,
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or call 01580 712179
We are nurturing
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building emotional
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Web | www.newlandsjoinery.co.uk
Shoreham Nr. Sevenoaks
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94
PurpleRhinoWT218.indd 1 05/03/2020 12:32
This page: On her husband’s request, Zoe created a master
bedroom with a true hotel feel with beaded panelling, a velvet bed
– from Sweetpea & Willow – and luxurious bedside tables from
Robert Langford, lined in velvet. The lights are by Astro Lighting
experience she has found invaluable. “It is so great to
understand the intricacies of kitchen design – fitting to
make the most of the space, incorporating the electrics and
plumbing – not just choosing fabrics and colours. My designs
always start with the kitchen; it’s the wow factor now.”
This particular kitchen has that and more, with bold charcoal
grey cupboard doors, with a mottled satin finish, designed to
look like polished concrete, set off by light-coloured worktops
– which was where she spent a large chunk of the budget.
“The kitchen is from Leicht, a German brand, in Tunbridge
Wells High Street, which offered very good value for the quality.
I would love to have a solid-wood Neptune kitchen, but this
is not our forever home, it’s an investment project, so I had to
be restrained, but it is still a wonderful kitchen. It has German
functionality, with glass-sided drawers and drawers within drawers.
“I spent a bit more on the worktops to have Silestone quartz
– which looks like marble, but is much more practical – and
on the appliances. We’ve got a Neff hide-and-slide oven, a
Quooker for boiling water, a Fisher Paykel fridge…”
I note that this splendid fridge is not integrated behind
cupboard doors as they so often are in social kitchens, to
95 wealdentimes.co.uk
Above: The heading on the curtains – the same colour as the walls – creates the calm, continuous atmosphere Zoe likes
blend in more. “It’s a beautiful fridge and I like exposing
big appliances. It works in a modern kitchen.”
But while she’s happy to have the fridge on
show, smaller appliances are not displayed. “All
appliances – toasters, food processors, coffee
machines – go in cupboards with plugs and we
don’t have a kettle. I like rich minimalism.”
I also notice another detail I have deliberately used
in my own kitchen: while the fridge, oven and mixer
tap are all chrome, the door and drawer handles
(from Dowsing & Reynolds) and electric sockets
are brass. Was it deliberate? Yes. “Mixing metals
doesn’t bother me.” Hurrah! I feel vindicated.
And before we move on from the kitchen, two more
tips I picked up from Zoe: “I like to have an island in
a kitchen, so the cook can remain part of the kitchen’s
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96
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ABSBlindsWT217.indd 1 13/02/2020 10:05
This page: The nursery wallpaper features subtle
polka dots on a soft grey background. Zoe had the
chair reupholstered in African animal fabric
social hub, but slightly removed,” and, “I chose bar stools with
backs for comfort. They work, because when friends come over
we always seem to eat up there, we rarely use the dining table.”
Heading back to the sitting area, I notice the lovely chest of
drawers with a marble top by Atkin & Thyme, which sits next
to the side entrance and is a great for making open spaces work,
without lots of stuff lying around. “You need it for gubbins…
That area, next to the outside side door, functions as a hallway,
with the cloakroom for coats in the built-in cupboard opposite.”
Looking towards the garden, Zoe tells me that the
windows are from Fabco Sanctuary, giving the Crittall
look – less frame, more glass – at a more accessible price.
I find myself taking a particular interest (see above) in how
the curtains are hung here, using a wave system, recessed into
the ceiling. “It means there is no bulkhead above the window.”
Looking out, I comment on the fabulous giant palm
tree which is the main feature in the garden. “It’s actually
a yucca and it was here when we bought the house. At
first I was, ‘That is coming down immediately!’ but now
I love it. I’ve got it uplit, so it looks beautiful at night.
“There is a whole lighting system in the garden – I am
obsessed with lighting – the steps are lit, the plants in the
border on the left are lit, there are box lanterns on the walls
and strings of white festoon lights hung around.”
Heading back inside, Zoe’s lighting obsession can be
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99 wealdentimes.co.uk
WellsandWhiteWT218.indd 1 12/03/2020 JOUJOUPAP.indd 17:22
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100
JustFasciasS34.indd 1 20/07/2017 OJBServicesWT217.indd 17:14
1 06/02/2020 11:11
Above left: The master bedroom en suite features a Carrara marble bowl basin on top of a walnut wood floating cabinet, with small
marble tiles from Mandarin Stone in a herringbone pattern as a splashback Above right: The same herringbone tiles form a beautiful
backdrop to the bath and shower in a guest bathroom
seen again in the amazing light over the dining table, which
is by Lindsey Adelman, and the three over the island, which
are from Buster & Punch (which is where I bought my light
switches – by this time I am feeling practically related to Zoe).
Heading up to the ground floor – on the Unnatural Flooring
Company sisal-effect, actually woven plastic, runner – Zoe
points out another of her pro-decorator details. “The walls in
the basement are Little Greene ‘Slaked Lime’ and ‘Slaked Lime
Mid’ on the woodwork. On the upper floors, that combination
is reversed, so there is the same two colours throughout the
house, which creates a calm and flowing atmosphere.”
That feeling is also very much created in me by
the master bedroom suite, which is a masterpiece of
boutique hotel décor – as requested by Zoe’s husband.
“My husband was my client and he said, ‘I want a hotel
vibe’, so I made it very sophisticated and sleek.”
The room is brought together by the beaded panelling
on the walls which Zoe measured out to match up with the
furniture. The bed is from Sweetpea & Willow, the headboard,
upholstered in Zoe’s favourite flat velvet in a dark shade of teal.
The bedside tables with drawers are from
Robert Langford and have beautiful details,
brass trim and drawers lined with velvet.
Once again, Zoe has taken great care with the
lighting in this room, with three separate sources:
reading lights, wall lights and ceiling spots.
What particularly attracts my attention, of course,
is the heading on the curtains – which are the same
colour as the walls, to create the calm, continuous
atmosphere Zoe likes, but with texture.
This curtain heading is what is known as
‘cartridge’, round pockets, which Zoe likes because
they stack neatly at each side when the curtains are
pulled open. (I underline it in my notebook.)
Next door, the en suite bathroom is equally swoonworthy,
with a Carrara marble bowl basin on top of a walnut wood
floating cabinet, with small marble tiles from Mandarin
Stone in a herringbone pattern as a splashback. There is
101 wealdentimes.co.uk
Left: A guest bedroom is a tranquil space with a
statement light by West Elm Below left: A panel of tiles
by Artisans of Devizes in the utility room
a large shower stall and all the fittings – including
the wall lights – are brass. “I always put in a wide
shower screen, I can’t stand things on the floor – you
only need a gap of 600mm to get in and out. You
can just get a large pane of glass, wet room style.”
I take note that the on-and-off valve for the shower
is on the opposite wall to the shower head – a detail
I wish I’d seen before I put my own en suite in…
In a nice detail, Zoe has left the original
Victorian fireplace in here and painted it
the same colour as the walls which creates a
nice contrast with the so-sleek scheme.
Heading out into the hall, we turn to take
the stairs up to the top floor, where the baby’s
room and bathroom are, plus an office and
a spare room and all I can say is ‘wow’.
It’s such a simple set up, but four matching large
rectangular mirrors, from West Elm, hung square
at the half landing, set off by a very dramatic
ceiling light, with three huge dangling golden
glass bulbs – by Tala lighting – really makes
you feel like you are in a New York hotel.
Zoe shows me that from the top of these stairs,
you can look down over the bannister and see
all the way to the basement living kitchen area
– the opposite of the view up to the rafters they
had during the six months of building work.
Which shows exactly how much it is worth
taking your project that exponential step further.
They say ‘go big – or go home’. Zoe went big
and made a home, a really fabulous one.
(And I chose cartridge heading for my
bedroom curtains – than ks, Zoe!).
Address Book:
Find out more about Zoe’s
interior design company,
House of Beulah, at
houseofbeulah.com
Artisans of Devizes
artisansofdevizes.com
Astro Lighting
astrolighting.com
Atkin & Thyme
atkinandthyme.co.uk
Buster and Punch
busterandpunch.com
Dowsing & Reynolds
dowsingandreynolds.com
Fabco Sanctuary
fabcosanctuary.com
Leicht Tunbridge Wells
enclosureinteriors.com
Lindsey Adelman
lindseyadelman.com
Mandarin Stone
mandarinstone.com
Neptune neptune.com
Robert Langford
robertlangford.co.uk
Sweetpea & Willow
sweetpeaandwillow.com
Tala Lighting
tala.co.uk
The unnatural
Flooring Company
unnaturalflooring.com
West Elm westelm.co.uk
wealdentimes.co.uk
102
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103 wealdentimes.co.uk
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KITCHENS
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104
GarollaWT215.indd 1 10/12/2019 HammertonsWT198.indd 16:03
2 29/06/2018 10:33
Get the
LOOK
Golden touch
1 Animal prints, £19 each, Rocket Jack rocketjack.co.uk 2 ‘Ursa’ 10 light pendant in gold with opal glass, £254.40,
där lighting darlighting.co.uk 3 Round mirror with tassels, £32.50, Oliver Bonas oliverbonas.com 4 Bamboo plant
in a glass pot, £200, Sweetpea & Willow sweetpeaandwillow.com 5 Linen throw in brique, £125, Loom Last
loomandlast.com 6 ‘The Rebel’ three-seater ‘Sofa in a Box’ in teal, £899, Snug Shack snugshack.co.uk / Bridgman
bridgman.co.uk 7 ‘Dorchester’ armchair in burnt orange, £279.99, MY Furniture my-furniture.com 8 Eichholtz
‘Harvey’ rectangular coffee table, £2,930, Sweetpea & Willow sweetpeaandwillow.com
105 wealdentimes.co.uk
See
Chocolates by
Eloise at Wealden
Times Midwinter Fair
this November
Born in the UK
Shop the best of UK-made Easter goodies
Chocolates by Eloise
We are very excited that Chocolates by Eloise is coming to the Wealden Times
Midwinter Fair for the first time this year. Their hand-painted eggs are delicate
little masterpieces with a classic (and incredibly moreish) flavour that is sure to
please anyone lucky enough to be gifted one. They cost £22.99 and are available
in a few select independent shops in London or online at chocolatesbyeloise.co.uk
See Coco
Loco at Wealden
Times Midwinter Fair
this November
Chococo
Creamy, sweet and quite frankly delicious. Our pick of Chococo’s
Dorset-made selection is their Milk Chocolate Ocean Studded
Eggs. For £12.50 you get a 175g, beautifully hand-painted egg
with additional chocolates studded inside, and a portion of their
profits goes to the Sea Life Trust chococo.co.uk
Coco Loco
Known for their quirky and individual flavours, Sussex’s local hero Coco Loco
have created a £5 hot cross bun bar this year which tastes uncannily like the
real thing. Meanwhile, each of their £14.99 eggs are individually designed
and filled with chocolate buttons, while their bunnies come in exciting
flavours incorporating matcha or popping candy (£5.50/pack of 3). A fun
choice for those looking for something different and unique. cocoloco.org.uk
Noble & Stace
West Sussex’s Noble and Stace have a wonderful selection of Easter eggs this year
– some classic hollow ones, some with mini eggs or mixed chocolate embedded in
the shell, and some with salted caramels or gin truffles inside. The gin truffles are
particularly tasty with a perfectly balanced little kick. xx
Plamil
Eco-friendly, vegan, sugar-free, and very tasty! Plamil is a
Kentish sanctuary for all those with dietary needs that make
Easter shopping difficult. Their milk choc egg is our favourite
but they also do white and dark options. plamilfoods.co.uk
107 wealdentimes.co.uk
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Gardens
A Wealden Times Supplement
Sponsored by
Mary Mary Creates Gardens
for life
your patch of this planet is a
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Design
Installation
Management
Innovation
GrandadRobDesignsWT218.indd 1 16/03/2020 MaryMaryCreatesWT218.indd 10:34
1 06/03/2020 15:23
Quality glass
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CPGlassWT209.indd 1 18/06/2019 11:01
27
Contents
4 SOW A MEADOW
Explore flower-filled meadows
11 WILD AT HEART
Insight into two garden
designers’ wildflower gardens
12 SHAPE IT UP
Interestingly shaped plants
19 A TASTE OF THE EXOTIC
Examining orchids
21 ROOM OUTSIDE
The best of sheds
23 WHERE THE WILD
THINGS ARE
Nurturing garden wildlife
23
33
4
25 THE BEST OF
BOTH WORLDS
Plants that can live both
indoors and outside
23
27 THE GREENHOUSE
EFFECT
Our favourite
greenhouses
29 SEEDS OF CHANGE
Find a gardening
course near you
31 BRIGHT IDEAS
Expert advice on
garden lighting
33 WATER WORKS
How to make a beautiful
water feature
4
35 GOT IT COVERED
Garden flooring options
36 COMFORT FOOD
Chill out with comfy
outdoor dining furniture
4
3 wealdentimes.co.uk
PetalsForPlantsWT218.indd 1 04/03/2020 09:47
Sow a meadow
With many options to choose from,
Jo Arnell talks us through the basics
A
dreamy meadow full of poppies, cornflowers and
ox-eye daisies is a lovely thing to behold, but
perhaps more fantasy than reality in the countryside
these days – and to bring us down to earth still further, a
patch of cornfield annuals is only one type of wildflower
meadow. Natural meadows can be a complicated tapestry
of wildflowers and to mix it up even more, since meadow
gardening became a thing about 30 years ago, a diversity
of relaxed, romantic and pictorial, or faux meadows have
appeared to inspire and confuse us. If you have a patch of
spare ground, would like to encourage wildlife, or just want
to relax your mowing regime and fancy growing some flowers
among the grass, there will be a meadow scheme to suit you.
Annual cornfield meadows
Meadows were once just a part of the rural landscape, a
taken for granted backdrop symbolic of summer in the
countryside. Traditional regimes in hay meadows and
crop fields allowed for poppies, cornflowers, and other
annual flowers to flourish, as removing the hay/corn
each year kept the soil less fertile and stopped the grasses
becoming too dominant. Sheep or cattle were allowed on
to graze after the fields were cut, trampling seeds down
into the soil as they did so, and the cycle continued.
The intensification of agricultural practices has lead
to the disappearance of cornfield meadows. Aside from
the use of chemical fertilisers, pesticides and herbicides,
it is also common for follow-on crops to be sown in the
autumn-winter wheat, oilseed rape, or green manures like
clover and vetches. This means the traditional rhythms
that the flowers fell into line with hundreds of years ago
have been disrupted and as a consequence most have
disappeared, or have been relegated to the field margins.
In recent years field edges have been extended, wildlife
corridors have been instated and many farmers are doing
their bit for biodiversity. While this is fine for perennial
plants and some meadows, it won’t help the cornfield
annuals. This also explains why many of us can’t grow
annual wildflower meadows successfully; we aren’t making
hay and we don’t have enough sheep roaming our gardens.
You’ll be relieved to hear that there are ways to replicate
an annual meadow without resorting to ancient farmland
practices and renting livestock, but, even so, establishing
a mini meadow containing cornfield annuals is not always
an easy task. Wildflowers have adapted to thrive in difficult
wealdentimes.co.uk
4
WT Gardens Supplement sponsored by
“Traditional rhythms that the
flowers fell into line with hundreds
of years ago have been disrupted
and as a consequence most
have disappeared, or have been
relegated to the field margins”
conditions and in poor soils. Our garden soil is often too
rich for them and our lawn grasses too dominant. You can
strip off the lawn and re-sow with a meadow mix, which will
contain more delicate grass species and a mix of wildflowers
(some of which will be happy in your space, depending on
your soil type and aspect). You may well get a good rate
of germination in the first year, but if you want to make
sure that annual wildflowers will grow again, they must
be allowed to set seed in the autumn, so be patient and
wait until the end of July or beginning of August before
cutting. Leave the cut top growth on the ground for a
Main image; Pictorial meadow in Jo’s garden Left: butterfly on
Verbena bonariensis Above: Cow parsley Right: Opium poppy
‘Lauren’s Grape’ Below: Cornfield annuals
5 wealdentimes.co.uk
few days to encourage seeds to disperse, then rake it up
and remove to ensure that the soil fertility stays low.
Perennial wildflower meadows
A perennial is a plant that has a lifespan of more than a year
or two. It will keep reappearing (in theory) each spring.
Many of our native perennial wildflowers have gradually
turned into cottage garden favourites such as Geraniums
(cranesbill), Foxgloves, Achillea (yarrow) and Aquilegia
(columbine). These plants will manage in meadow situations,
but again the grass will out-compete them if it’s not carefully
managed. Perennials don’t germinate as readily from seed
as annuals, so a good way to start a perennial meadow is
by planting young plug-plants grown in modules. These
will establish more reliably and should flower in their first
or second season (depending on initial size and vigour).
Perennial meadow plants flower around midsummer and
so the meadow can be mown in early spring, then in late
summer and early autumn once the flowers have faded.
Yellow Rattle
There is a way of preventing the grass from out-competing
meadow flowers by growing a plant called Yellow Rattle
(Rhinanthus minor). This little plant is partially parasitic
on grass and will weaken it, allowing wildflowers a
foothold. Most meadow mixes now contain Yellow
Rattle seed, but it’s worth seeking out locally produced
seed that will be regionally adapted. It is an annual, best
sown in the autumn, or planted as plugs in spring.
Pictorial Meadows
A pictorial, or faux meadow, like those seen in the Olympic
park in 2012, uses non-native annuals and short lived
perennials to create a relaxed and wafting meadowy look. The
principals are broadly the same – you need to make sure that
any grasses are sparse and won’t swamp the delicate annuals,
or just use flowers and don’t include any grass at all. April is
a great time to sow a pictorial meadow, as seeds of plants like
Cosmos should germinate directly once the weather is warm
enough. To be on the safe side it is worth sowing a few of
the less hardy varieties as plugs to plant out once the danger
of frost is past, but this will make the process more labour
intensive. A wide range of annuals can be used to make a
pretend meadow; when we grew one a few years ago at one
of my courses, I bought a few packs of cornfield annuals
and mixed in seeds of other commonly available annuals. I
put them all in a bucket with some sand prior to sowing –
they need to be sown sparingly and the sand helps to spread
them out when you’re broadcast sowing by the handful.
You’ll need to prepare the ground; remove all weeds and
make the soil ready by raking it to a fine tilth (it should look
like crumble topping). Scatter seeds over the surface of the soil
and then rake over lightly. It won’t matter if you tread
From top to bottom: Poppy seed heads; roof top meadow;
Ragged Robin and Burnet among grasses; spring meadows at
Great Dixter
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on it a bit – just as the sheep in the stubble fields press the
seeds into the ground, it’s important that the seed is in contact
with the soil. Within a few weeks it will be looking green
with new growth and should burst into meadowy splendour
by early July. Cut the meadow once the flowers have faded
and set their seed, remove the top growth once the seed has
dispersed and is frost tolerant, hardy seeds will germinate again
next year. You may want to top up with more of the more
delicate plants and weed out the thugs after the first year.
The New Perennial Garden Style
A wild ‘prairie’ style can be achieved by growing ornamental
grasses such as Miscanthus, Stipa and Calamagrostis instead of
meadow grass and mixing in late flowering perennials. Daisy
flowers – Asters, Heleniums and Rudbeckias – work well, nectar
rich Sedums and tenacious plants that would be thugs in a more
polite border, such as Persicaria, Crocosmia and Phlomis, will
spread to create great drifts or waves of colour. The advantage of
using ornamental grasses is that they look good all through the
winter, especially when back lit by the low sun, with the seed
heads of the perennials silhouetted against them. This style of
gardening works best on a large scale and is becoming popular in
parks and larger spaces, as it is relatively low maintenance – the
plants all get a severe haircut in the spring and off they go again.
Weeds
We tend to forget that many of our wildflowers fall into this
category. Weeds are troublesome in our gardens because
they’ve developed to survive in very difficult conditions out
in the wild, competing with each other for survival. When
they gatecrash into our gardens, they can’t believe their luck
and so romp about in the rich soil, bullying our dainty garden
centre plants and taking over. Eradicating them calls for
vigilance, but this is harder in a semi-wild meadow situation,
so it pays to remember that they are a wonderful resource
for wildlife and that a few weeds in your meadow will add
a bit of authenticity – a useful thing to say to visitors…
For details of Jo’s gardening courses visit
hornbrookmanor.co.uk or contact Jo on 01233 861149
Annuals suited to
meadow situations
They will like sunny, free-draining positions
and most are summer flowering
Annual poppies – grow either the field poppy,
Papaver rhoeas, or the opium (P. somniferous). If
they like your conditions they will spread around.
Often pops up when ground is cultivated.
Cornflowers – available in a range of pastel colours
and one really dark maroon cultivar, but the blue
form is the most beautiful. Will self-seed.
Marigolds – cheerful orange daisy flowers, really
easy to grow and another happy self-seeder.
Amni majus – a tame Cow parsley-type
flower; tall, with large white lacy flowers
Orlaya grandiflora – another umbellifer,
delicate umbels of white, shorter than
Amni majus and not as invasive.
Larkspur – the annual Delphinium available in
several shades of blue, mauve pink and white.
Nigella damascena (love-in-a-mist) –
prolifically self-seeding, with ferny foliage and
attractive seed heads, as well as flowers.
Cosmos bipinnatus – an easy half-hardy
annual (not frost tolerant). Tall daisy flowers
in white and shades of pink. It has good,
ferny foliage and lasts well as a cut flower.
Cleome spinosa – an unusual tall half-hardy
annual, sometimes called the spider flower,
as the flower is somewhat spidery.
Top: Cornflower ‘Black Boy’ Above: Hampton Court Flower
show - meadow in a mirrored box by Alex Rainford-Roberts
Sunflowers – available in colours other than yellow –
this well known hardy annual makes a tall and cheerful
addition and is also great for attracting wildlife.
9 wealdentimes.co.uk
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WT Supplement
Wild at heart
How have our Wealden garden designers been encouraging
wildlife back into the garden with wildflower planting?
WILDFLOWER MEADOWS
“Creating a wildflower meadow in your garden is
a lovely way to ‘soften’ the space and to encourage
wildlife diversity, such as bees, butterflies and birds,
and is a positive way to help the natural environment.
Since the second world war over 95% of wildflower
meadows have disappeared. Lost ancient meadows
can’t be replaced, but we can try to redress the balance.
Few people knew more about Meadow
gardening than Christopher Lloyd. He said
‘To see a meadow in bloom is a great delight.
It is alive and teeming with life, mysterious,
dynamic and seemingly out of control’.
Troy Scott Smith softened the look at Sissinghurst
recently too with meadow flowers sown in the spaces
around the perimeter and even in the car park.
King John’s Nursery at Etchingham have created
floriferous wild flowers in their Rose Garden.
As a garden designer, I have also included
areas of meadow, even in some smaller
projects. Knowledge of soil and aspect is
crucial to the choice of suitable plants.”
Kate Ball Garden Design kateballgardendesign.co.uk
Wildflower gardens
“As we know, our birds, bees and wildlife are in decline. A lot of garden
flowers are bred for low-maintenance and therefore not always good
for our insects and wildlife. Introducing wildflowers into your garden
encourages more species of insects and birds. Wildflower gardens
are low-maintenance and look wonderful. Sow wild seeds in lawns,
borders, window boxes or containers in autumn or spring. The poorer
the soil the better. I recommend the following seeds and plant plugs:
Foxgloves, Red Campion, Ox Eye Daisies, Lesser known Knapweed,
Field Scabious, Native red Clover. Corn Cockle, Common
Vetch, Wild marjoram, Honesty, Cornflowers and Poppies
Not only do wildflowers look great in your garden, you are
doing something positive for the environment too.”
Jo Chater Garden Designs chaterdesigns.com
11 wealdentimes.co.uk
Shape
it up...
Sue Whigham makes a
statement with unusual
colours and shapes
Well, the usual deluge hasn’t
happened today. Perhaps
spring is definitely on
its way. Actually, I think it is and
so do the bumblebees. I saw a huge
one collecting pollen from the
flowers of that wonderful ground
cover plant, Trachystemon orientalis
(Abraham-Isaac-Jacob) just now.
Things have been bursting into
life despite torrential downpours.
For example, treasures such as
hellebores (and just who is snipping
off their heads and discarding them?);
primroses are in full swing and
the cowslips are not far behind.
Some crocus are still going strong,
despite taking a battering, and spring
treats like pulmonaria and that
gorgeous arum, Arum italicum subsp.
italicum ‘Marmoratum’ with its long,
marbled, heart-shaped leaves are
showing themselves. There’s a patch
of them in the front garden growing
with a silver leaved cyclamen which
to my certain knowledge has never
flowered. The leaves are so gorgeous
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12
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Left and below: Ferula communis
that it really doesn’t matter at all.
And now the only problem is that
as it has been so wet, the borders
are still pretty weedy and the list
of catch-up jobs is daunting.
There are so many thousands of
unusual colours and shapes in nature
that I thought the only thing to do is to
put together a wish list of a few which
are particularly gorgeous and special.
I think for year round interest I would
definitely put down the silver leaved
Cyclamen hederifolium. They spread
very nicely over the years and their
wonderfully marked leaves are such a
lovely contrast to spring flowerers.
Then, as spring progresses, one of the
most lovely umbellifers appears if you
are lucky: Smyrnium perfoliatum. This
is a flower arranger’s absolute dream;
a biennial, smyrnium tends to have a
mind of its own and it either goes mad
in its ideal spot – it prefers some shade
and grows happily in the olive groves
of Greece, although it is described as
an unusual native plant in the UK.
I have seen it in the local woods
and make an annual pilgrimage to
specifically seek it out, but there’s
been absolutely no sign of it in some
years. And in a local garden where it
is so happy, it has to be thinned out
occasionally – well, a bit more than
occasionally – however, not until the
seed has been collected and redistributed
as it prefers to be grown in situ.
The first year it is easy to miss the
young plants, but once they get going,
they give you a fabulous display with
leaves shaped like ‘pointed shields’
up the stems, decreasing in size as
they ascend. The plant reminds
13 wealdentimes.co.uk
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WT Supplement
Right: Ferula communis
Below: Cactus in bloom
you of limey yellow euphorbias and
has the airy habit of cow parsley.
Another wonderful plant for unusual
shape and form would be the giant
fennel, Ferula communis. These are
related to the common culinary fennel
but belong to a different genus. Ferula
communis are in the carrot family but
decidedly more spectacular. Their native
habitat is in the Mediterranean region
and interestingly in the shrublands of
East Africa. From a huge clump of finely
dissected foliage a 3m-high inflorescence
unfurls, eventually producing wonderful
yellow umbels. It is such a stunning
plant and insect friendly too.
There’s a subspecies called ‘Glauca’
which gets to the same height, the
difference being glaucous, bluey leaves.
And Beth Chatto named the Tangier
fennel, Ferula communis tingitana
‘Cedric Morris’ after her friend,
Cedric Morris, the plantsman who
originally collected the seed. This one
is slightly shorter – but still comes
in at 1½m – the difference being the
shiny leaves and green umbels. They
all flower in June but are exciting at all
times of the year; in winter spectacular
silhouettes tower over the borders.
If you could only grow one tree, Tilia
henryana would surely be a candidate.
I’ve probably written about this absolute
favourite more than once. Henry’s Lime
originates from China and was first
discovered by the Irish plant hunter,
Augustine Henry. However, it wasn’t
introduced to the West until 1901 when
Ernest Wilson brought it in. It deserves
to be more widely planted and there
are suppliers now who have them in
stock, although it still seems to be a rare
tree. It has huge, bristled ovate leaves
which start the season tinged with red.
By the autumn the ‘sea-green’ leaves
start to turn golden yellow. Added to
this, the creamy white flowers arrive
late in the season providing an absolute
feast for all manner of insects. Last
year, I had some girls in for bed and
breakfast over a really hot weekend.
They decided to sunbathe near the tree
and woke to a really loud humming
and buzzing only to see that the flowers
were absolutely smothered with insects
having a high old time. Including a
few hornets if truth be known, but
they, along with all the others, were
so busy feasting that we didn’t disturb
them and they didn’t disturb us.
And of all the huge number of ilex,
or hollies, that there are in the world
with their myriad shapes, forms and
habits, one of the most lovely and
unusual is one which was discovered
as a sport of I. ‘Golden King’ in
15 wealdentimes.co.uk
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WT Gardens Supplement sponsored by
Left: Filial henryana
Below: Ilex x Altaclerensis ‘Ripley Gold’
the garden of Dargle Cottage, County
Wicklow, home of Lord and Lady
Goulding. From 12 cuttings taken in
1976 there were enough plants to start
selling them by 1988. In Ireland this
plant is often called Ilex x altaclerensis
‘Lady Valerie’ but in England it is more
widely known as ‘Ripley Gold’. Do
look out for it as it is so brilliant as a
winter evergreen shrub. Its distinctively
twisted leaves are glossy and have
mottled splashes of a primrose yellow.
I love the way that the Irish Garden
Plant Society described it: ‘the variable
beauty of these is like a soft, sweet song
to all who have an eye for leaf form
and colour in the wintry landscape’.
And finally, Tibouchina urvilleana,
the Glory Bush native to Brazil,
a perennial on the tender side in
this country, which is fabulous as
long as you can give it over-winter
protection. This winter has been so
mild that it has survived an unheated
greenhouse but in a ‘normal’ winter
it would need some winter warmth.
It makes a great pot grown specimen
unless you live somewhere like Penzance
in Cornwall where it can grow to up
to 10ft in a sheltered spot outdoors.
I think it would be marvellous in a
sheltered, sensory garden as everything
about it is soft to the touch. The
stems are red and hairy and the large
leaves, too, are hairy and textured.
Late in the summer, it produces satiny
reddish purple flowers which look blue
until you get closer to them. There’s
a variegated form with leaves edged
with pinky red which I think needs to
go on the ‘must have one day’ list.
Sue Whigham can be contacted on
07810 457948 for gardening advice
and help in the sourcing and supply of
interesting garden plants.
17 wealdentimes.co.uk
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WT Gardens Supplement sponsored by
A Taste of
the Exotic
Tom Hart Dyke, , Curator of The World Garden
at Lullingstone Castle, shares his passion and
top plant care tips for orchids – which aren’t
always as tropical as you may think
Orchids are now considered to be
the largest family of flowering
plants in the world representing
well over 25,000 different species with
many new varieties being discovered
each year. They occur on every continent
except Antarctica. Over 50 species are
native to Great Britain. My love affair
with these amazing plants started aged
seven when my influential gardening
granny bought me a ‘Slipper Orchid’.
Local native orchids also helped
fuel my passion: I vividly remember
sneaking up in the lunch break at
primary school to an ‘out of bounds’
patch of chalk downland to observe
fabulous Bee and Wasp orchids. The
mimicry of many orchids is wondrous.
Since school I’ve travelled with botanical
funding to observe orchids in the
tropical remote Indonesian Mentawain
Islands and the magnetic lure of the
spell binding Orchid family led me in
the year 2000 to the Darien Gap in
Central America, resulting in a ninemonth
hostage ordeal. It was worth
it though, as I saw lots of orchids in
captivity and survived to tell the tale!
TOM’S TOP TIPS:
The mass production of
tropical orchids has made the
Phalaenopsis (‘Moth Orchid’) the
most popular pot plant in the world.
Basic essential tips for your indoor orchid
include using rainwater if possible, water
once a week to soak the free draining
compost, letting excess water completely
drain through over the sinkhole before
placing back in a well lit position, but
not right against windows in case of leaf
burn. Feed once a month with something
like Tomorite – one-fifth recommended
strength. Place your orchid in a saucer
covered in a layer of gravel and use a
water sprayer to mist twice a day to
increase beneficial humidity. Never
let your orchid stand in water.
Be adventurous and consider
experimenting by growing our native
orchid varieties. In my experience
the easiest are the “Early Purple
Orchid”, “Common Spotted Orchid”
and various species and hybrids of
Dactylorhiza (“Marsh Orchids”). My
favourite – Dactylorhiza x grandis – is
a “Hybrid Spotted Marsh Orchid” my
granny gave me when I was 10 years
old and I still have it growing in the
United Kingdom region of The World
Garden. Full sun, good drainage and
a soil that never entirely dries out
are preferred. Pot culture is possible
too, although it’s best to place the
container in part shade during
the hottest hours of the day.
Top Tip for the ‘Moth Orchid’:
When flowering is finished please don’t
completely cut down the spent flower
spike – even if the label instructs you
to! Cut back to just above the nearest
node (notch in stem) or where the
brown dead stem meets green. Then you
should prolong flowering with additional
blooms appearing from the node.
Why not go orchid hunting in the
South East! Wild orchids are fantastic.
Visit richly diverse locations such as
Park Gate Down near Stelling Minnis
where in late May you can find the
very rare ‘Monkey Orchid’ and the
delightful ‘Butterfly Orchid’ or mid-
June at Sandwich Bay where you can
be astounded by the endangered ‘Lizard
Orchid’, one of the best locations
in the UK to view this species.
Immerse yourself in the world of
orchids and join the Orchid Society
of Great Britain, or visit local orchid
shows and festivals to gain more
knowledge about these incredible
plants. Don’t miss a trip to The World
Garden, we have a temperate orchid
house ‘Orchis’, dedicated to showcasing
over 100 rare and beautiful orchids,
all ready to ignite your passion!
Set within 120 acres of beautiful Kent countryside, Lullingstone Castle in Eynsford, Kent, is one of
England’s oldest family estates, dating back to the time of Domesday. An historic family mansion
frequented by Henry VIII and Queen Anne. It is also home to the UK’s first ever ‘World Garden of
Plants’, containing some 8,000 plant species, cultivars and hybrids planted in their respective countries of
origin, the vision of modern-day plant hunter Tom Hart Dyke. This year is special as Lullingstone will be
celebrating the 15th anniversary of The World Garden. Lullingstone Castle is open from Friday 3 April
to Saturday 31 October 2020 on Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Bank Holiday Monday (excluding Good
Friday) from 12pm-5pm. The house is open only at 2pm for a guided tour. lullingstonecastle.co.uk
Image: Alan Graham
19 wealdentimes.co.uk
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they’ve got your hand tools needs
covered shop.nationaltrust.org.uk
Whether you use yours as a space to tidy away
your garden essentials, a retreat for five minutes’
peace or a stunning focal point, sheds are an
essential part of the garden. Here’s our run-down
of three of the loveliest, from practical to posh
The Posh Shed Company’s Gothic Shed makes quite a statement
with its detailed fascia boards and Gothic arch within the door and
window frames. It’s available in three build options (Posh: supplied
pressure treated and ready for self-assembly, Very Posh: painted,
delivered and installed, or Unbelievably Posh: the ultimate in build
quality and features), five sizes and three roof options. Prices start at
£1,822, plus delivery and installation. theposhshedcompany.co.uk
With a greenhouse at one end and a large
storage area at the other, The Corner Garden
Potting Shed (and mini Greenhouse) from
Rowlinson is pretty and practical. Its three
opening, seven fixed and three roof panel
windows make it a bright and airy spot for
your plants to thrive and grow and with the
inclusion of potting benches there will be
no stopping you. £1,699.95 cuckooland.com
The Brick Summerhouse Company: “For this project the
clients wanted us to create an area to escape to and relax
in the hot summer months, as well as to create a beautiful
focal point across their newly landscaped knot garden.
To complement the surrounding Georgian
period property we used a combination of reclaimed
handmade red bricks and split faced Portland stone
for the quoining around the doors and windows.
The curved roof was constructed with traditional handmade
tiles and lead detailing on the hips, roof cap and finial. We
used Georgian-style double doors with bay-style casement
windows to match those of the adjacent building.” Prices
start from £22 ,000+ vat thebricksummerhousecompany.co.uk
21 wealdentimes.co.uk
merriments gardens
Merriments Gardens is the perfect place to
visit in April, with our RHS Partner Garden,
Plant Area, Shop & licensed Restaurant . . .
GodintonHouseWT218.indd 1 10/03/2020 09:59
so why not take a stroll around the Garden,
browse in the Shop or pick up a plant before
enjoying lunch or tea in the Restaurant
and share our little slice of rural paradise!
GARDEN · PLANTS · RESTAURANT · SHOP
Merriments Gardens | Hawkhurst Road
Hurst Green | East Sussex | TN19 7RA
01580-860666 | www.merriments.co.uk
SALES AND SERVICE
M&A Brown & Sons Ltd, Iden Green Farm, Cranbrook Road, Goudhurst, Kent TN17 2PA
info@mabg.co.uk 01580 211599 www.mabg.co.uk
wealdentimes.co.uk
22
MerrimentsWT218.indd 1 06/03/2020 MABrownSonsLtdWT218.indd 11:01
1 25/02/2020 15:44
Where the WILD
things are
Try these tips to encourage wildlife to flourish in your garden
“There is a shortage of natural nesting holes for wild birds, which impacts population
numbers of many familiar species. Putting up a nestbox provides shelter and attracts
welcome visitors including many insects which act as pollinators and a food source for
birds. Safe hideaways also attract hedgehogs, toads and solitary bees, and can be made
by combining recycled tiles and pipes with hollow plants stems, dry grass and leaves.
For more information on where and when to put up nestboxes, visit nestboxweek.com”
Imogen Stephens, General Manager at Merriments Gardens
merriments.co.uk
“As well as adding a nestbox or hedgehog home to your garden, remember their
residents also need plenty of food. The best starting point is to fill your garden with
plants. Fruit trees are amazing for nature: plenty of pollen, blossom, branches and,
if you can spare it, fruit! They can be very easy to plant, and grow quickly.”
Anna Feeney, spokesperson for RSPB
rspb.org.uk
“Entice butterflies and moths with Primrose, Blackthorn, and April flowering
native Common Dog-Violet, which all provide an early source of nectar and
pollen. Planting or sowing Common Bird’s-Foot Trefoil, Red Clover, Common
Knapweed, Field Scabious and Wild Marjoram on bare ground in April will
also give you a boost in summer flowers that will encourage more butterflies to
use their gardens later in the year. Catering for hungry caterpillars is easy too;
just leave grasses, Common Nettle, Common Ivy, Bramble and Dandelion to
grow wild around the compost area. You can target specific species too: Common
Sorrel is great for the Small Copper and thistle species are good for the Painted
Lady, whilst Wild Teasel is attractive to the adult Red Admiral and Peacock.”
Isobel Girvan, Principal Ecologist at Surrey Wildlife Trust
surreywildlifetrust.org
23 wealdentimes.co.uk
Creating Beautiful Gardens
for Brilliant Year Round Results
Wealden Country Landcraft
Wealden Country Landcraft
For all your design, construction and maintenance requirements, contact:
Adam Sutton BSc (Hons) Environmental Science | Tim Playfoot BA (Hons) Garden Design
Tel:01892 722699| Adam:07979 362241 | Tim:07990 751353 | www.playfootgardendesign.co.uk
The best of
both worlds
Jo Arnell strikes a happy balance with
her indoor/outdoor plant picks
If you’re looking for plants that will
manage to do well both indoors
and out, whatever the weather, or
in a shady space, there are a few star
performers that will fit the bill. Top
of my list is small leaved ivy, either
dark green or variegated. Ivy is a great
plant in low light levels and is very
easy to train and prune into shape.
Many houseplants will benefit from
a summer holiday outside in the
garden, but they will need to be
put somewhere that’s sheltered
and in the shade – light levels in
even the brightest of homes are
much lower than outside and
leaves will scorch if the plant is
placed in direct bright sunlight.
Succulents, such as Echivera, Crassula
and Aeoniums, will enjoy being
placed on a sunny patio throughout
the warmer months, but really don’t
like our winters very much – they are
adapted to dry climates, so it is the
wet that gets to them (I’m beginning
to know how they feel after this
winter). Bring them into a cool porch
in the autumn.
There are some plants that can
manage to live inside and in the
garden – maybe not all of the time,
but it is possible to enjoy a few of
them outside of their normal season.
Summer Geraniums – the tender
Pelargoniums, as opposed to those
in the borders, can be brought
inside in the autumn and kept
somewhere cool and bright until
warmer weather returns. You can do
the same with Fuchsias, Abutilon,
Jasmine and Hibiscus. Once it
warms up in the spring, pot them
into fresh compost, water well and
re-introduce them to the outside
once the danger of frost is past.
You can keep herbs going over winter
if you pot up small plants, put them
on a sunny windowsill and keep
them watered. Most will provide
you with a supply of fresh flavour.
Give them a haircut in spring and
move them outside for the summer.
25
SPRING SERVICING
BEAUTIFUL BESPOKE GARDENS
Every garden provides a chance
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FOR PROFESSIONAL SERVICING PHONE US FOR A QUOTE
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Discover the secret
to garden perfection
With over 50 years of experience, we are the garden design and landscaping
specialists of choice for properties throughout Kent & East Sussex. Friendly
and professional, we pay meticulous attention to detail and take pride in creating
the gardens of our clients’ dreams. Get in touch with our dedicated team to start
visualising your own Eden, today.
Quality garden design and landscaping since 1963
Call: 01580 850394 Or Visit: www.kibblewhitegardens.co.uk
wealdentimes.co.uk
26
KibblewhiteWT167.indd 5 27/11/2015 12:46
WT Gardens Supplement sponsored by
THE
HERITAGE
Perfect for keen gardeners,
Griffin Greenhouses’ National
Garden Scheme collection
includes the Rosemary, which can
be made in a colour of your choice
and personalised with a range of
accessories. Plus, every purchase
includes a 5% donation to the
National Garden Scheme.
griffinglasshouses.com
THE
MODERN
The Magnum Opus
from Hartley Botanic
features sleek contemporary
lines and a high angled roof
which is ideal for those who
want to grow taller plant
specimens.
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The Greenhouse
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Brighten up your
plants’ outlook
with the finest
customisable
feature glasshouses
THE
LEAN-TO
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greenhouse
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created by Alitex
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THE
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Malvern Garden
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27 wealdentimes.co.uk
ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE
For the Love of flowers
My kitchen table business started with
a passion for flowers and a love of
Weddings. In 2014 I began a small business
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I saw a gap in the Kent wedding market for a
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Emily&MeWT218.indd 1 04/03/2020 11:44
GARDEN DESIGN
WORKSHOPS
Spend a Spring day, browsing the variety of plants on sale &
gather great ideas for your garden for the coming season.
Advice on getting the very best out of the plants you buy.
A superb collection of local crafters and artisans,
find some unique, quality hand-made gifts.
Local food and drink will be available as well as
our Tea Tent serving delicious cakes and traybakes.
Live music throughout the day.
Belmont House & Gardens
Throwley, Faversham, Kent ME13 0HH
www.belmont-house.org
Book onto a gardening course
or Design Day
25th April, 22nd May or 27th June
Join Jo Arnell at her garden in Woodchurch.
Learn about structure, colour and the best
plants to use for long lasting impact.
01233 861149
hornbrookmanor.co.uk
wealdentimes.co.uk
28
HarrisBelmontWT218.indd 1 02/03/2020 HornbrookManorWT218.indd 16:38
1 05/03/2020 15:18
WT Gardens Supplement sponsored by
Seeds of Change
Get to grips with your garden with our pick of informative courses
What? GARDENING IN A
CHANGING CLIMATE
Where? Godinton House, Ashford
When? 25 April 9.30am-12.30pm
A morning with Assistant Head
Gardener, Alan Hubbard, answering
your questions and giving advice on
how to future-proof your garden. He
will talk about how gardeners can
adapt to climate change through plant
choice, design and implementation.
info & booking: 01233 643854
godintonhouse.co.uk
Costs:
£35
including
coffee
What? JO ARNELL’S
BORDER DESIGN DAY
Where? Hornbrook Manor
Farmhouse, Woodchurch
When? 25 April / 22 May /
27 June, 10am-4.30pm
Costs:
£75
Discover which plants will be reliable
and help you to structure your border,
provide interest and colour through
the seasons. Learn how to prepare,
plan and plant with confidence. The
Design days are informal, relaxed and
friendly, with plenty of opportunity
for discussion. There will be lots of
notes to take home, plus cake and
lunch. If you have a border in mind
that you would like to work on,
please bring photos or a sketch.
info & booking: 01233 861149 or
07923 969634 hornbrookmanor.co.uk
What? HALF-DAY
SUMMER PRUNING
Where? Brogdale’s East
Malling Research Station
When? 8 July or 9 July,
10am-1pm or 2-5pm
This pruning course will introduce you
to pruning apple and plum trees and
cover basic techniques and methods to
start you pruning at home. The course
mainly focuses on trained trees including
espaliers, cordons and fans and is largely
practical and outside, allowing hands-on
practice and question time. Summer
pruning should take place from the end
of July, so this course date gives you
the chance to learn some skills before
it’s time to prune your own trees.
info & booking: 01795 536250
brogdalecollections.org
Costs:
£40
A little more
conservation...
WILDWOOD TRUST,
HERNE BAY
Wildwood Kent is a haven for
British wildlife both past and
present set in 40 acres of ancient
woodland. Their diverse family of
over 200 animals includes bears,
wolves, otters, foxes, deer, badgers,
owls, wild horses, lynx, beavers,
wild cats, bison, squirrels, wild
boar, reindeer and a host of human
experts who run free close-up animal
talks and feeds at the weekends. In
addition to this they have all sorts
of conservation courses on offer for
those interested in expanding their
knowledge of British nature…
What? INTRODUCTION
TO FOREST GARDENING
When? 18 April, 10am-4pm
Costs:
£40
Come and learn about this
inspiring ecological gardening
technique to grow our food, meet
many human needs and increase
wildlife. Based on principles found
in nature, forest gardens will
need less and less work over the
years whilst providing more and
more yields. The course covers
ecosystem design, perennial plants,
history, design considerations,
permaculture design, wildlife
and rewilding. Connect to the
environment through nature
awareness, foraging and observing
natural ecological design principles.
What? INTRODUCTION TO
BEEKEEPING (8-week course)
When? Saturdays from 18/4/20
to 6/6/20 inclusive, 11am-4pm
Costs:
£100
An 8-week, hands-on course for
complete beginners to give you the
knowledge and confidence to get your
first colony. Learn the skills of this
ancient art from Wildwood’s own
beekeeper. Please note that this course
takes place outside and is weather
dependent. Changes to the timetable
may be needed if weather conditions are
unsuitable. Post-course advice available.
Not suitable for those with medical
conditions, such as heart problems,
asthma or allergy to
bee stings. Contact
Wildwood for advice
if you are unsure.
info & booking: 01227 711471 wildwoodtrust.org
29 wealdentimes.co.uk
www.homeleighgroup.co.uk
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Woodford Depot:
Woodford 01580 892733 Depot:
01580 892733
Maidstone Road | Staplehurst
Maidstone TN12 Road | 0RH Staplehurst | TN12 0RH
Staplehurst:
Staplehurst: 01580 892037
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Station Road | Staplehurst
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Ashford:
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WT Supplement
Bright Ideas
Trip the light fantastic with your garden lighting
It can be hard to know where to even begin with garden lighting, so we asked Sally Storey,
Creative Director at John Cullen Lighting for some tips. Here’s what we learnt....
Remember
that a little
light goes a long
way at night.
Olive green
fittings usually blend
into gardens best. Copper
fittings can also be good as
they patinate to a neutral green
colour with age, while bronze
fittings blend in well with
the colour of most
tree trunks.
The key to
successful garden
lighting is flexibility.
Spiked lights are ideal as
they can be easily moved
to suit the changing
seasons and growth
of planting.
Light steps
for safety. A light
recessed into the side wall
is an ideal solution to create
atmosphere and improve safety.
Alternatively, use night lights in
small glass holders for a pretty
way to emphasise steps
in the garden or a
low-level wall.
Add a wash
of light to the
plants surrounding an
alfresco dining area to
show off the colours
and flowers when it
gets dark.
Don’t feel
guilty about energy
consumption. New
exterior lights from John
Cullen from 1w to 8w
mean a garden can be
lit for less than 60w.
For more lighting inspiration visit johncullenlighting.com
Make
sure wall lights
complement rather than
detract from the lighting in
the rest of the garden. Wall
mounted pillar up/downlights
can create a dramatic effect
or use wall lanterns for a
softer solution.
Use garden
lighting selectively
and remember that
darkness can also be used
to conceal any less attractive
areas. Decide on the areas
you want to light, what
your key features are and
focus on them.
Here comes the sun
Add some solar flair to your garden with these solar lighting picks
£26 Ella James
ellajames.co.uk
£24.99 The Solar Centre
thesolarcentre.co.uk
£329 Lagoon
vivalagoon.com
£39.99 Dobbies
dobbies.com
£16.99 Lights4fun
lights4fun.co.uk
31 wealdentimes.co.uk
Need your mower serviced?
Mowtastic have opened a brand new
workshop and showroom in Harrietsham
Unit 6a & 6b Harrietsham Industrial Estate, Station Road, Harrietsham ME17 1JA
Open from 9am to 6pm Monday to Friday
9am to 4pm Saturday & 10am to 2pm Sundays.
We sell and service all types of garden machinery
including the latest battery machines.
Mower won’t start?
Call now and see if we can
fix it WHILE YOU WAIT.
Our service turnaround
time is 7 days.
Call now for a quote
01622 828 627
The Traditional Verandah Company
MowtasticWT218.indd 1 18/03/2020 14:51
The Traditional Verandah Company
Porches | Verandahs | Gazebos | Wedding venues | Commercial projects
Telephone 01233 636025 www.ttvc.co.uk sales@ttvc.co.uk
10% off when you mention Wealden Times Quote code “WTAPR20”
*terms and conditions apply
wealdentimes.co.uk
32
TraditionalVerandahCoWT2181/2.indd 1 19/03/2020 10:15
WT Gardens Supplement sponsored by
This luscious bog garden was created
by Verdis Horticultural: “Bog gardens give
you the opportunity to grow something a
little out of the ordinary in normally hard to
plant wet areas of your garden. Alternatively,
sinking containers or a plastic liner into a
bed will create the perfect environment as it
retains the moisture these plants need to
thrive. A display of the prehistoric looking
Gunnera manicata with leaves of up to
4ft or the Tetrapanax Papyrifer can
add some impressive and exotic
structure.” verdisuk.com
Jo Gregory from Verdis
Horticulture’s tips for
water feature success
Pool Areas: The area around the pool
needs to be as clean as possible so planting
here is best done in raised beds or pots to
contain the soil. Choose ones that don’t
drop or shed too much to avoid water
contamination and blocking filters. With
that in mind contemporary planting with
Phormiums work well, the Phormium
Sundowner with its red and green striped
leaves make an impressive display.
Water Worlds
Richly green and very pleasant, creating a water feature brings movement and
tranquility to a garden design, as well as providing a haven for wildlife
Water features: Water features come
in many different styles and forms,
whatever you plant around them, use
aquatic compost to avoid adding nutrients
that affect the quality of the water in
the feature. Small features can be given
a more tropical look with one or two
well chosen ferns such as Dryopteris
affinis ‘Cristata’ or any of the amazing
variegated Athyrium Niponicum Var.
Ponds: Garden ponds however large or
small provide a haven for all manner of
wildlife, so consider using plants that
provide colour as well as suitable habitats
for your garden friends. All members of
the Iris family work particularly well with
their vast array of colours from red and
yellows through to deep purples.
My favourites include Iris
louisiana ‘Black Gamecock’
and Iris pseudacorus ‘Alba’.
Creating
gentle movement across
the pond, Giles Raynor’s copper sculpture
combines energy and intrigue with simple
aesthetic beauty. Renowned in the world of
water sculpture, Raynor’s unique designs
can be seen in gardens and public spaces
across the UK and internationally.
‘Scylla’ by Giles Raynor – copper,
320cm tall (above water) £15,000
hannahpescharsculpture.com
33
wealdentimes.co.uk
Patio and Driveway cleaning
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Search pro team cleaning ltd
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WT Gardens Supplement sponsored by
Outdoor
rugs,
£69 each
limelace.co.uk
Got it
Covered
Outdoor flooring picks
Millboard
easy to
maintain, anti-slip
composite decking in
‘Weathered Vintage’,
£78.50 per 3.6m board
gardenhousedesign.
co.uk
Capri,
Firenze and
Parma Outdoor
Terrazzo Tiles, from
approx £83/m2
ottotiles.co.uk
PorcelPave
Olympia Silver
Porcelain Paving Tile,
£42.96/m2, Valverdi
Iguazu Dark Stone Effect
Indoor/Outdoor Porcelain
Paving Tile, from £39.90/
m2 londontile.co.uk
Smoked
Embers
Foundry Concrete
Effect Tiles, £32.95/
m2 wallsandfloors.
co.uk
35 wealdentimes.co.uk
WT Gardens Supplement sponsored by
2
3
Comfort food
Sink into relaxing furniture choices for a
laid-back outdoor dining space
4
5
1
6
7
8
10
9
11
12
14
1 Pembrey eight-seater table, £1,800, and Harrington carver chairs,
£305 each, Neptune neptune.com 2 William Edwards Sultan’s Garden
Tea-For-One Teapot, £70, John Lewis johnlewis.com 3 Flat rattan
webbing lounge chair, £275, Cox & Cox coxandcox.co.uk 4 Bead
trim parasol, £79, Ella James ellajames.co.uk 5 Savannah drinks coffee
table, £379, Danetti danetti.com 6 Ayana armchair by B&B Italia
Outdoor, £3,025, Chaplins Furniture chaplins.co.uk 7 Waterproof
scatter cushion, £59, Bridgman bridgman.co.uk 8 Small bamboo food
cover, £20, Kinfolk Decor kinfolkdecor.co.uk 9 Soleil textured wine
glasses, £30/set of 4, Habitat habitat.co.uk 10 Manutti Flex garden
sofa, £2,945, Go Modern Furniture gomodern.co.uk 11 Saparella
armchair, from £706, Ligne Roset ligne-roset.com 12 Star sign
coasters, £15, Initially London Ltd initiallylondon.com 13 Norfolk
Leisure Verdi garden tea trolley, £119, Cuckooland cuckooland.com
14 Garden Birds handmade and hand-embroidered linen napkins,
£85/set of 6, Craft Editions crafteditions.co.uk
13
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36
ACHIEVE YOUR GARDEN DREAMS
Haynes-WT218.indd 1 13/03/2020 14:07
At Zero-51 we encompass building work, maintenance and refurbishment.
We create unique pieces, from hand built wood fi red ovens, pergolas,
garden kitchens ,BBQs ,garden design, kitchens & bathrooms.
paul@zero51.com | 07710 063773
www.zero-51.com
_zerofi ftyone
ZERO-51
109 wealdentimes.co.uk
Zero51WT218.indd 1 18/03/2020 12:32
Top hats
Put the finishing touches to your
special occasion outfit with a
show-stopping headpiece
Photographs: David Merewether
Styling: Kate Liz Watts
Hatinator by Nigel Rayment, £176, Serendipity Fashions
Two-tone felt headpiece, £165, Ellie Vallerini Hats
The complete optician service for your eye care needs
Welcome to Wilson Wilson & Hancock
Established in 1949 we have been caring for
our customers for 70 years. Combining good old
fashioned personal service, professional expertise
and the most up to date equipment.
QUALITY EYE TESTS WITH ADVANCED EYE HEALTH DIAGNOSTICS
Quality eye care examinations
from our experienced opticians,
detect eye diseases such as agerelated
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for earlier treatment.
GREAT CHOICE OF
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Wide selection of frames
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with quality lenses. Personal,
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Branches throughout East Sussex
Hastings 01424 421 717 hastings@wilsonwilsonandhancock.co.uk
Rye 01797 223 700 rye@wilsonwilsonandhancock.co.uk
Lewes 01273 472 360 lewes@wilsonwilsonandhancock.co.uk
Tenterden 01580 762 069 tenterden@wilsonwilsonandhancock.co.uk
www.wilsonwilsonandhancock.co.uk
WilsonWilsonHancockWT218.indd 1 03/03/2020 09:36
Come visit us in store
for a warm, friendly
welcome, stocking
all your needs for
outdoor pursuits.
Our store is open 7
days a week, visit us at
IN THE COUNTRY
ASHFORD ROAD
BADLESMERE
KENT
ME13 0NX
inthecountrykent.co.uk
Mon Sat 10am - 5pm
Sunday 10am - 4pm
01233 742700
113 wealdentimes.co.uk
IntheCountryWT212A.indd 1 17/09/2019 16:19
Hat, £245, part of the Irresistible Collection
available at Melita of Chobam
Rose headband, £105, Madrugar Millinery, style exclusively available at Pearl & Queenie
dressing undeniable beauty
35 High St,
Cranbrook
www.odyl.co.uk
01580 714907
cordeliajames.com
Hawkhurst - Rye - Lewes
OdylWT218.indd 1 10/03/2020 CordeliaJamesWT218.indd 16:28
1 02/03/2020 11:36
Spring is in
MADE IN
IRELAND
the Air
New Spring Summer
season arriving The tradition daily, of Irish
find knitwear, in store now.
inspired by the
chill coastal winds of the
Atlantic, is built around
individual knitters and
small cottage industries
hand finishing every
single garment.
www.countyclothesmenswear.co.uk
County Clothes
Quality clothing and a personal service
Kent Surrey East Sussex
wealdentimes.co.uk
116
CountyClothesS65.indd 1 17/02/2020 10:24
Floral turban, £195, Madrugar Millinery, style exclusively available at Pearl & Queenie
Address Book:
Ellie Vallerini Hats ellievallerinihats.com
Instagram @ellie_vallerini_hats
Kate Liz Watts‚ katelizwatts.com Instagram @katelizwatts
Madrugar Millinery‚ Etsy Shop MadrugarMillinery
Instagram @madrugarmilliner
Melita of Chobham motherofthebridechobham.co.uk 01276 856308
Pearl & queenie pearlandqueenie.com
Serendipity Fashions serendipityfashions.co.uk 01483 577475
SOWING THE SEEDS
FOR A FASTER
RECOVERY
ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE
ACCORDING to Arthritis
Research UK, nine out of
10 gardeners (89%) report
suffering from joint pain.
That’s because of the repetitive nature
of many tasks such as mowing the lawn,
hedge-cutting, planting and weeding.
Millions of people in the UK suffer from
osteoarthritis with one third of over-
45s having sought treatment for the
painful and debilitating condition.
Keen gardener and part-time project
manager Andy Chandler, who lives
in Rolvenden, was one of those
people. He said: “It got to the point
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on or do my laces up because I
couldn’t bend down enough. I was
in so much pain that it felt like my
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“When I was playing golf,
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Andy was the first hip replacement
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“I was very nervous about going into
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especially for quite a big operation.
“But I don’t know what I was worried
about because I was up and about
walking just two hours after surgery
and I was in hospital for just one night.
“I felt like I could have run a marathon in
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his son looking after the gardens at
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Benenden Hospital, in the heart of
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To find out how we can help or for
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wealdentimes
For more information about our treatments and services visit
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charity number 1065995, Registered Office, The Benenden Hospital Trust,
Goddards Green Road, Benenden, Cranbrook, Kent TN17 4AX.
Beauty
Tata Harper
tataharperskincare.com
Fulfilled
wearefullfilled.co
Responsible Beauty
Josephine Fairley tracks down products with five-star eco credentials
Not so long ago, the biggest beauty concern for most
of us was the impact that a product might have on
our face, body or hair. But times change – and fast:
now, many of us are equally concerned about the impact
it might have on the planet. Fact: although most women
understand well that beauty products aren’t
frivolous or fluffy try looking at it this way:
the time we spend on our beauty routines is
often the ONLY thing we do just for ourselves
in the space of a day – it somehow still seems
terribly guilt-inducing to send a jar or a serum
bottle or a hand wash pump to landfill.
Having banged the drum about this
for pretty much a couple of decades (Sarah Stacey and
I wrote The Green Beauty Bible back in 2003), I know
better than most that it’s taken the beauty world a while
to catch up. But I am still hugely heartened that during
the past 18 months, many different companies have got
in on the ‘eco-packaging’ act. Maybe they feel they need
to be seen to be doing it, but does it really matter? At the
“The Olay
initiative is
perhaps the most
ground-breaking”
end of the day, the result is the same: packaging that’s less
wasteful and more widely available – and as it’s rolled out,
also creates a positive spiral of greater eco-awareness.
So this month, I thought I’d focus on some great initiatives
– and bust some packaging myths. Because while it’s fine for
companies to say ‘recycled’ on the packaging,
we still have to separate and sort our empties
(more of which anon). In addition, there are
several different types of plastic – all technically
recyclable but in reality, not always recycled
by every council. As I know well, councils
can be coy about sharing info on which they
actually process and which still go to landfill
after we’ve duly sorted them – so I encourage you all to
contact the council which takes away your recycling and find
out which numbers they actually process. (I do have to give
an honourable mention to Colgate, whose Smile for Good
Toothpaste also comes in the industry’s first recyclable tube.)
What we really want to see is companies moving
towards actually creating product packaging out of
119 wealdentimes.co.uk
Beauty
recycled materials because that’s already squared the circle,
sustainability-wise. Neal’s Yard Remedies’ familiar blue plastic
bottles are now 100% recycled (the glass bottles and jars,
of course, are recyclable). Cult naturals brand Tata Harper
uses recycled glass, while Aveda – famously committed to
the environment from the word go – now package 85%
of skincare and haircare in 100% recycled materials.
Taking advantage of refills, where we can, is something else
we can do, although as with many issues, it’s not as simple as
it looks. Because of the need for packaging to be spotlessly
clean, for health and safety reasons, what’s mostly happening
is that companies such as L’Occitane, Scandi make-up name
Kjaer Weis, Soap Co., Charlotte Tilbury, M.A.C. and even
Olay are offering minimally-packaged options with which
to ‘recharge’ your current packaging or compact. Fulfilled
(wearefullfilled.co) use beautiful aluminium bottles that
not only last for longer than most, but are also refillable.
The Olay initiative is perhaps most ground-breaking because
this is such a big brand; just like L’Occitane Divine Harmony
(of which I’m a massive fan), you slip the refill inside your
existing jar. Even Dior is making an effort: no refills, yet, but
they are eliminating the cellophane, excess cardboard and even
the paper leaflet previously included with its luxury products.
Faith in Nature is one of the few brands offering a proper
refill service for a wide range of their washes, shampoos
and conditioners, at many different locations around the
country (look for a list of Refill Stations on faithinnature.
co.uk). Beauty Kitchen, meanwhile, just announced the
future rollout of a nationwide refill scheme – but for now,
either return empty aluminium bottles bearing the ‘Return •
Refill • Repeat’ logo using a free shipping logo downloadable
from their website, or drop off at a Holland & Barrett store
(you’ll also receive points on your H&B loyalty card). Even
perfume houses are getting in on the refill act; interestingly,
this was pioneered some years ago by Mugler with their
‘Source’ refill stations (for fragrances like Alien, Angel, etc.);
more recently, Le Labo and the rising star perfume brand
Floral Street will also now refill your current scent bottle
with the same fragrance, in the latter case at their fab Covent
Garden flagship store; they get further green ‘Brownie points’
because their bottles are 100% compostable (like an egg
box), while they spurn tissue paper, cellophane and plastic.
But at the end of the day, we all have to take responsibility
for not casually throwing our beauty empties in the bin.
Most of us are pretty good at recycling baked bean cans,
wine bottles and cornflakes boxes – but that box that came
with your moisturiser…? The lid of that moisturiser…?
The pot it came in…? Doesn’t happen nearly so often.
It might seem like a teeny jar or a lid, but
imagine the mountains that simply end up in
landfill, every year… A salutary thought, eh?
Here’s the lowdown on what can be recycled…
• Glass face cream pots (Don’t forget the cardboard
packaging it came in – and the little leaflet inside.)
• Perfume and aftershave bottles
• Plastic shampoo and conditioner bottles
• Plastic moisturiser bottles Think: hand cream and
body lotion. (Though as I’ve said, do take your
council to task on exactly which numbers they can
process; these teeny numbers feature on the underside
of packaging, inside a recycling symbol, but you do
sometimes need a magnifying glass to read them!)
• Aerosol deodorant cans Worried about product
‘residues’ or unsure about whether some bits
should be binned? Follow these simple rules…
1Rinse first Before putting plastic bottles in the recycling
bin, if it’s easy/possible to do so, wash them using a
bottle brush and very hot water/detergent, before rinsing.
Love your lids Plastic caps – for instance,
2 from deodorant cans and moisturiser bottles
– can go in with the recycling, too.
Remove your tops! Pump dispenser tops – for
3 instance, on liquid soap bottles – should be removed
and disposed of with your ordinary waste, as currently
they can’t be recycled. (And this also means that if a
perfume bottle has a spray attachment, this should
be removed before recycling. If you can’t separate the
two, alas you’ll have to put the bottle in the bin.
Bag it up! If you tend to forget about putting beauty items
4 for recycling in the recycling bin downstairs or wherever,
try hanging a pretty reusable bag on your bathroom door.
Avoid single use products If you’re using these products,
5 for instance, single-use wipes, they can fill up the bin
pretty quickly – which is one reason I’m so keen on muslin
cloths for cleansing. (The other? They will lightly exfoliate
skin each time you use one, leaving your skin noticeably
brighter.) Some wipes are now compostable, but you’ve got
to remember to compost them. As for single-use masks? Give
‘em up, not just for Lent but forever because for now there’s
nothing you can do to give that foil pack a new life.
So keep watching this space because the
beauty world is getting greener – and I’d say,
a little rosier, too – all the time.
L’Occitane
Divine Harmony
uk.loccitane.com
Neal’s Yard
Remedies’
nealsyardremedies.com
wealdentimes.co.uk
120
Private Care Service
at Bedtimes
Concept
Hair
salon
Our Private Care Service carers can come to
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morning and / or last thing at night. This
help can form part of a tailored package of
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care home before its really needed. We can
assist those who need help due to frailty,
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as possible, with comfort and dignity, in
their own home. Overnight Sleep-in Care
is also available from 10pm to 7am.
www.townandcountryhomecare.co.uk
Domestic
Care
£9.77
per hour
For a free assessment
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receive your brochure
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Town & Country Homecare Limited
102a High Street, Tenterden, Kent TN30 6HT
50 High Street, Tenterden 01580 762 564
Book online at www.williamcharleshair.co.uk
or through our facebook page
TownCountryHomecareWT133.indd 3 04/02/2013 WilliamCharlesWT216.indd 16:20
1 06/01/2020 16:50
New
patients
welcome
Stunning smiles at
Bupa Dental Care Cranbrook
Everyone’s welcome at Bupa Dental Care Cranbrook -
you don’t need to be a member or have insurance.
So why not register and experience quality dentistry today.
Call 01580 715 786 today
Bupa Dental Care is a trading name of Oasis Healthcare Limited. Registered in England and Wales no: 03257078. Registered office: Bupa Dental Care,
Vantage Office Park, Old Gloucester Road, Hambrook, Bristol, United Kingdom BS16 1GW.
DUK02662 | Jun19
121 wealdentimes.co.uk
BupaUkWT218.indd 1 24/02/2020 11:54
Relaxing facials,
without the
luxury price
Grain Store
quick fix facial
30 minutes • £20
Our mini facial will
leave you feeling refreshed
and looking fabulous!
Grain Store luxury facial
1 hour • £40 per hour
Treat yourself to some 'me time'
and relax with a personalised facial
which will leave you feeling blissful
and looking radiant.
FASHION l EDITORIAL l BRIDAL
64 high street,
BEAUTY l LIFESTYLE l T.V / FILM
Rolvenden, TN17 4PA
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07917 716657
Hourly & Day Rates - Quotation on enquiry
Beauty
TUNWFM18 wedding supp ad 2018-030 (2) (2)EDIT.pdf 1 19/02/2020 10:38
at the grain store
07843 204544
www.ninagregorymakeup.com
Put your best
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1 17/02/2020 11:12
face
forward
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07928 971683 17 High Street, Tunbridge Wells, Kent TN1 1UT
BESPOKE AESTHETIC
TREATMENTS WITH A A
WHOLE FACE APPROACH
Year 2016
wealdentimes.co.uk
122
DrChristineWT217.indd 1 19/02/2020 10:41
Beauty
Julie Dalton from Beauty at The Grain Store, Rolvenden,
gives her advice for tackling oily skin
“Oily skin is every teenager’s nightmare. Open pores,
blackheads and the dreaded spots. On the upside, in later
life, when skin settles and our worries turn to wrinkles,
oily skin does have an advantage – it doesn’t age nearly
as quickly as normal skin and, worse still, dry skin.
Oily skin is caused by an excess production of sebum – the
skin’s natural oils. There are ways to help this condition: a
healthy, balanced diet, is a good start, with plenty of fruit
and veg and avoidance of greasy fry-ups and chips! You
might think washing your face repeatedly and harsh exfoliates
will help: this is not the case as they will strip your skin of
moisture, cause your glands to go into overdrive, making them
over produce oil, exacerbating the condition. A gentle cleanser,
exfoliating cream and a light moisturiser are the answer. Here
at The Grain Store, I tailor the creams I use for whatever skin
condition you have. The products I use for oily skin contain
witch hazel, which is great to help refine pores and reduce
oiliness, and I also include a lightweight moisturiser designed
to balance the skin, with extracts of mallow and cucumber.
These ingredients soften the skin and lock in moisture,
leaving your complexion bright, revitalised and shine-free.”
To book a Grain Store Quick Fix Facial (£20) or a Grain
Store Luxury Facial (£40) for oily skin, call Julie on 07917
716657 or see @GrainstoreRolvenden on Facebook
Skin Soothers
Heal and nourish with a tailor-made
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speed up the
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whilst the
unique weave of the silk gently exfoliates, conditions and
smooths skin, leaving it radiant. Made of 100% undyed
silk, they’re suitable for all skin types, biodegradable
and machine washable. £24.99 for 3 thisissilk.com
We invite you to a
Masterclass in Skincare
£25 including Champagne afternoon
tea, complimentary Goodie Bag
and a £10 product voucher
London has arrived
in the Weald...
March 26th, 31st & April 2nd
11.30-2.00 & 3.00-5.30
Gift Vouchers for Mother’s Day now available online at
www.knowlegrange.co.uk
Please book in advance by calling 01892 750055
Email: enquiriesknowle@gmail.com
Gillian Spooner, a senior Sassoon trained
stylist currently working at the Josh Wood
Atelier in London, is now based in your area.
Gillian’s superb level of expertise in cutting
and styling for ladies can be brought to you
by private appointment, with the benefit of a
free, no-obligation consultation beforehand.
For more information visit
www.gshair.co.uk or call to arrange a
free full consultation on 01622-862735
GS Spooner
Gillian
123 wealdentimes.co.uk
KnowleGrangeHealthWT217.indd 1 19/02/2020 SteveCarmoWT140.indd 16:32
1 18/09/2013 14:50
Wellbeing
Holiday skin
Henrietta Norton’s six steps to sensational post-holiday skin
Nourishing our skin
is always important,
never more so than
when we return from a sunny
holiday, to prevent dry skin
and premature ageing and to
prolong your sun-kissed glow.
Here are my six top tips to care
for your post-holiday skin…
HERBS FOR YOUR SKIN
Gotu kola and ashwagandha are wonderful
anti-ageing herbs. Gotu kola improves blood
circulation and supports the production
of collagen while ashwagandha helps to
reduce inflammation, protects the skin from
oxidative stress and promotes skin healing.
The product I use is our Wild Nutrition’s
Food-Grown® KSM-66 Ashwagandha
Plus which provides 500mg of organic
ashwagandha root with Food-Grown®
Magnesium to support the
body’s resilience.
Eyemask: annabeljames.co.uk/products/travel-set-seaweed-print
ALLOW YOURSELF TIME
We often need time to recover from
our travels, especially after long haul
flights. Sleep is the best medicine
for your skin and you will notice
the difference in your appearance
after a deep restful night. Try not to
go headlong back into your normal
routine, instead allow yourself time
to ease back into your busy life.
BALANCE YOUR BACTERIA
Travelling can be tiring and expose us to foods we’re
not used to or foods we don’t usually take in excess,
such as sugar or alcohol. This has an impact on the
balance of our bacteria in the gut, which in turn has
been clinically proven to affect the quality of our
skin. Eat plenty of meals that include fermented
foods, such as sauerkraut (easily found in health
stores) and kimchi (Asian fermented cabbage and
spices) and try drinking coconut water kefir or taking
a Multiple Strain probiotic (without FOS) to feed
the growth of good bugs in your digestive system.
You may also want to try supplementing your diet with
herbs, such as oregano, garlic, grapefruit seed extract
and olive leaf, as these ingredients contain natural
antibacterial and antimicrobial compounds
to combat bad bacteria.
“Beauty is the
illumination of
your soul”
John O’Donohue
CHECK THE INGREDIENTS
IN YOUR BEAUTY PRODUCTS
Always choose products with clean
ingredients for your beauty regime and sun
protection. Some of the more toxic products
containing synthetic colours and fragrances,
phthalates and sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS),
to name a few, are best avoided. If you
are unsure, a great book is The Nature of
Beauty by Imelda Burke which provides
excellent information about ingredients and
how to make your own simple products.
A HEALTHY DIET WILL
NOURISH YOUR SKIN
FROM THE INSIDE OUT
A healthy diet will show on the
outside with glowing radiant skin.
Eating seasonal food rich in vitamin
C, vitamin E, zinc, selenium and
essential fatty acids nurtures our skin
cells, provides antioxidant protection
and promotes skin healing after it
has been exposed to the elements.
SUPPORT YOUR LEVELS
OF HYALURONIC ACID
Hyaluronic acid (HA) is a gel-like
substance found abundantly in the
skin. HA has a unique ability to retain
water preventing loss of moisture. HA
also increases when the skin is healing
and helps to reduce inflammation
on the skin’s surface. It is therefore
useful after you have been in the sun
and if you have sunburn. Choose a
naturally extra low weight form of
HA as this is much more effective
at reaching the skin surface.
Visit wildnutrition.com for
Food-Grown® supplements
and information on
Nutritional Therapists at
clinics in Lewes and London.
Making you,
more you.
Want to look like how you feel on
the inside? Young, fresh and vibrant.
Sagging jowls & jawline, deepening
lines & wrinkles? We can help.
Arrange a complimentary consultation
& start your journey today
t: 01892 257 357
www.bellavou.co.uk
facebook.com/bellavou
Before you consider any procedure you should consult with a physician to check your
medical suitability. The above information is only a brief overview and typical of most
patients’ experiences. Errors and omissions excepted. © Bella Vou Ltd. All rights reserved.
Lazy bottom
Do you suffer from lower back pain?
You just might have a lazy butt!
Most people are unaware
of how important their
buttocks (actually their
gluteal muscles or glutes) are to their
overall core stability and overall
muscular skeletal health. Many more
– even those who work out regularly
– don’t realise that their glutes are not
doing the job they are supposed to.
Some years ago, I suffered a prolapsed
disc in my lower back which was
excruciatingly painful. I couldn’t
work, let alone work out, as any sort
of movement put me in complete
agony. I needed urgent help.
Through contacts, I was lucky
enough to be put in touch with physio
Jonathan Hockey who, after working for
the NHS in London and with private
clients, including Tottenham Hotspur
and the Surrey County
Cricket team, set
up his own practice
in Horsmonden.
He discovered that
my glutes were
underactive. This
came as a complete
surprise to me, as glute
activation had always
been a particular
interest of mine. I was
fully aware of how
important they are and
had enabled clients
to develop these muscles to overcome
lower back and knee problems, improve
their core and run marathons.
I treated my personal experience as
an opportunity to further develop my
knowledge. Working together with
Jonathan, I was able to fully recover
and get back to work within six weeks.
Once back at work, I brought my
heightened knowledge to the group
of sprinters I was training. You would
assume by looking at the big definition
of an international sprinter that their
glutes would be firing on all cylinders.
But a good few had over-developed
their quads – the muscles at the front of
“In 80% of cases
where patients
present with lower
back issues, they
have lower backs
that are too strong
due to under active
and weak glutes”
thighs – because their glutes were not
working at full capacity. This meant
they were prone to injury and were
not working efficiently. By focusing
on better activating their glutes,
sprint times increased dramatically,
and their injuries decreased.
I caught up recently with Jonathan
for this column and asked him to
explain what the glutes do, why they
are important and what his favourite
exercises to activate them are.
Jonathan explains: “The glutes are
very important, especially during
walking and lifting, because they are
the main muscles that control these
movements. The glutes work together
with the psoas (the muscles that
connect our spine and hips) in order to
propel us forwards. Without these two
working together, it
is impossible to walk.
If someone has weak
or underactive glutes,
the body has to use
compensatory methods
to move forwards and
often uses the lower
back and hamstrings
– the muscles at the
back of the upper
leg. When these two
combine to replace
the glutes, you get a
compression to the
spine and hip joints and this is what
leads to injuries.” He goes on to add,
“We have found that in 80% of cases
where patients present with lower back
issues, they have lower backs that are
too strong due to under active and
weak glutes. In these cases, we spend a
lot of time rehabilitating their muscles
and improve the issues with lower back
pain by strengthening their glutes. This
takes away a lot of the compression
in the lower back and prevents nerve
impingement which reflects down the
leg as sciatic pain and also prevents knee
injury, helping sports people improve
acceleration, strength and performance.”
Exercise of
the month:
STEP UPS
March up the stairs two at a time
(on the way down go careful
and take one stair at a time).
✣
Try driving up with the glutes as
if you going to drive up through
the roof or a jump-like action.
✣
Start with a couple of times
up and down the stairs and
build up gradually.
✣
Do this a few times a week for
6-8 weeks and your bottom
should be firing beautifully.
✣
Sarah Maxwell is a multiple awardwinning
Fitness and Lifestyle coach
and mum of two who juggles a lot
of balls. Find out more about Sarah
and her work at sarahmaxwell.com
Sarah shares her Fitness and
Lifestyle tips on Instagram
@sarahmaxwelllifestyle
Contact Jonathan Hockey at
Horsmonden Physiotherapy Clinic
01892 724377
horsmondenphysio.com
127 wealdentimes.co.uk
Food
Feasts for Families
True to the fuss-free, one-pot family-friendly
meals she shares through her blog and Instagram
account @annasfamilykitchen, Anna Stanford
chooses three perfectly crowd-pleasing recipes that
everyone should try over the Easter break
Photographs: David Merewether
Teriyaki Salmon, Noodle & Vegetable Traybake
Serves 4 Prep time: 5 mins Cooking time: 15 mins
We all know that eating oily fish is good for you – it’s brain boosting food! Whether it’s the
smell, the flavour, the skin – or is it the bones that can sneak in no matter how careful you
are – many children (mine included) are resistant to eating fish. Trying children with mild
flavoured fish like cod is a good start (breadcrumb it into a goujon if necessary!) but this was
my salmon breakthrough recipe. Cooked in Teriyaki Sauce and using a beautiful fillet with
no skin and no bones, served with noodles, it went down a treat.
For the Teriyaki Sauce:
• 2 tbsp soy
• 2 tbsp mirin
• 1 tsp honey
• 1 tsp chopped chilli
• 1 garlic clove crushed
• 1 tsp chopped ginger
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 800g side of salmon or
4 individual fillets,
approx 175g each
• 200g fresh rice noodles
• 2 tsp sesame seeds
• 200g Tenderstem Broccoli
• 100g sugar snap peas
• 4 pak choi
• 5 spring onions (these can
be either chopped or
shredded)
• 1 chilli, chopped
1Lay the salmon on a baking
sheet or in an ovenproof dish.
2Mix together the Teriyaki sauce
ingredients and pour it over
the salmon. Marinate if you have
time. If you don’t, fear not!
3Add the noodles to the tray and
sit the salmon on top. Sprinkle
over the sesame seeds and roast in a
hot oven (220°C, 200°C, gas 7) for 12
mins, 7 mins if using individual fillets.
4Cook the green vegetables
according to your liking. I
simmer the broccoli spears for 2
mins, add the sugar snaps for 1 min
and then the pack choi for 1 min.
5Drain the vegetables and toss with
the noodles around the salmon.
6Top with the shredded or chopped
spring onions and some of the
chopped chilli if you like extra heat.
129 wealdentimes.co.uk
Mothers' Day
31st March
Bookings now
being taken.
The Hop Pole
Nettlestead Green
Mark and Kirsty welcome you to The Hop Pole Inn
located in Nettlestead Green.
We pride ourselves on our freshly cooked food and
homemade desserts.
A carvery is served six days a week Tuesday
to Sunday and our a la carte menu is
also available. Large parties are catered
for and we have a large
conservatory dining area.
01622 816916
Maidstone Rd, Nettlestead Green,
Maidstone, ME18 5HH
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1 11/02/2020 14:47
Park Farm Butchers & Graziers
Where Quality Comes Naturally
From our traditionally managed farm
Here in Hawkhurst, we produce free range, grass
fed beef and lamb. We are Farm Assured and our
livestock are reared in harmony with the countryside.
Romney Lamb
TAKING ORDERS FOR EASTER
FROM OUR FARM
21 day matured Sussex beef · Quality Romney Lamb
HOMEMADE
Burgers · Dry Cured & Oak Smoked Bacon
Chipolatas & Sausagemeat · Sausages · Cooked Hams
The Romney ewes are excellent forage converters readily turning
traditional grasses into tasty lamb. The flavour of the grass-fed
lamb is hard to beat, and can be available all year round.
Sussex Beef
FRUIT & VEGETABLE SELECTION
- LOCAL & SEASONAL
Tel: 01580 753558
The Colonnade, Hawkhurst, Kent
www.parkfarmbutchers.co.uk
The cows happily graze on the extensive grasslands whilst the
growing and finishing cattle thrive on the rich water meadows to
create the very best flavoured beef.
wealdentimes.co.uk
130
ParkFarmWT217.indd 1 14/02/2020 11:28
Spring Risotto
Serves 4 Prep time: 10 mins Cooking time: 45 mins
Simple and full of fresh spring flavours, I often make asparagus
risotto but decided to bulk this one out with everything green
I could lay my hands on
• 500g fresh asparagus
• 2 onions, finely chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, crushed
• 300g Arborio risotto rice
• 150ml white wine
• 1.4l hot stock
• 100g frozen peas
• 200g frozen edamame beans
• 45g/2tbsp grated Parmesan
or Pecorino, plus extra for grating
• Knob of butter
• Fresh basil and mint leaves,
roughly chopped
1Snap off the woody ends from
the asparagus and discard them.
2Chop the bases of the asparagus
spears into ½cm slices, keeping
the asparagus tips. Set the tips aside.
3Colour the onion in a pan with
some oil for 10 mins before
adding the garlic and the chopped
asparagus stems. Stir for 1 min,
then add the Arborio rice.
4After 1 min add the wine
and let it bubble.
5Add the stock one ladleful at a time
until the rice is cooked (about 25-30
mins). The texture should be creamy.
6Stir through the asparagus spears,
peas, cooked edamame beans and
cheese. Add a knob of butter and put a
lid on the pan for 5 mins.
7Season and serve with extra
grated cheese and a drizzle of oil,
plus the fresh mint and basil.
SEDLESCOMBE
ORGANIC
VINEYARD
Renovated tasting room,
café and bar
Sunday Brunch
Lunch and Afternoon tea
Cocktail menu
Organic and
Local produce
Guided tours
Room and venue hire
Corporate days
Events calendar
01580 830122 • info@englishorganicwine.co.uk • www.englishorganicwine.co.uk
HAWKHURST ROAD, SEDLESCOMBE, ROBERTSBRIDGE, EAST SUSSEX TN32 5SA
PEPPERBOX INN
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Visit our charming pub situated in beautiful countryside with outstanding views of
the Weald of Kent
Full á la carte menu and traditional pub food served lunch times and evenings
Sunday Lunches from £12.50 per person
Served 12 noon - 3pm
Outside terrace | Ample parking
Walkers & Riders welcome
Warm & welcoming open log fires
Opening Times:
Daily from 11am - 3pm | 6pm - 11.30pm
Food Served: Lunch 12noon - 2pm
Evening 6.30pm - 9.30pm
Sunday Lunches: 12noon - 3pm
Closed Sunday Evenings
TEL: 01892 517320
EMAIL: production@indexmagazine.co.uk
01622842558
www.thepepperboxinn.co.uk
Customer Sedlescombe Organic Vineyard 1-2
Publication
The INDEX Magazine
Month(s) booked March 2020
Date sent 19 February 2020
Deadline
Proof reading notes
DESIGNER
10am 20 FEBRUARY 5PM
New artwork created at SG Media
DB
ADVERTISEMENT PROOF: We trust the artwork is as you wish your advertisement to appear – please let us know if not. However, please note that if no response is received by the deadline
stated above it will be taken that this advert is acceptable in every detail and will be published as seen, subject to our proof reading. Please remember to check your phone number, e-mail
address, web address etc... We offer a free artwork service with two sets of amendments allowed. If further changes are required they will be charged at £45 per hour, or part thereof. Errors
by Windmill us are changed Hill, free of Harrietsham, charge. The content Maidstone, of the advertisement Kent, is the ME17 responsibility 1LP of the advertiser – the publisher cannot accept responsibility for any inaccuracies. Positions in the
magazine cannot be guaranteed except where special positions are agreed in writing and on payment of a Special Position Fee. IF YOU HAVE BOOKED A SERIES OF ADVERTS WITH US WE
WILL USE THE ARTWORK ABOVE FOR EACH MONTH LISTED. IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO CHANGE THE ARTWORK PLEASE LET US KNOW BY THE 10TH OF THE PREVIOUS MONTH.
wealdentimes.co.uk
132
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Food
Roast Loin of Lamb with Jersey Royals & Chimichurri
Serves 4 Prep time:10 mins Cooking time: 30 mins
Like many herby sauces, chimichurri transforms plain fish, meat and veggies into show
stopping meals. Treat lamb loins like fillet steak – season them generously, sear them
and don’t overcook. They are very lean and so require less cooking than you think, and
benefit from resting. I’ve presented the dish here as a platter but it would work equally
well individually plated with the chimichurri sauce served on the side.
• 500g Jersey Royals
• 600g lamb loin fillets
(2-3 fillets)
• 600g green vegetables of your
choice – I used broccoli,
broad beans, green beans
and peas
For the chimichurri sauce:
• 3 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 red chilli, finely chopped
• 30g fresh coriander, parsley,
oregano and mint, chopped
• 2 tbsp white wine vinegar (I used
@belazu_co white condimento)
• 80ml extra virgin olive oil
• Juice of 2 limes
1Blitz together all the ingredients
for the chimichurri sauce.
2Cook the Jersey Royals in
salted boiling water for 15
mins. Drain and set aside.
3Season the lamb loin fillets and sear
them in a hot, lightly oiled pan for
2-3 mins. Lower the heat and continue
cooking, turning each fillet every minute
for 6 mins. Set them aside to rest for
about 5-8 mins.
4Cook the green vegetables and
drain. They can be put into a
bowl of iced cold water so they keep
their colour and don’t overcook.
5Slice the lamb. Serve with the
potatoes and green vegetables.
Serve with the chimichurri sauce.
Visit annasfamilykitchen.com or follow @annasfamilykitchen on Instagram for a whole host of meal ideas
133 wealdentimes.co.uk
Sissinghurst Flowers
made with love
Independent
Award-winning
Affordable
Forward Thinking
Traditional - Modern - Low-cost Funerals
www.albany-funerals.co.uk
Weddings Life Events Courses
www.sissinghurstflowers.co.uk
Telephone: 01580 852144 / 07977 142447
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1 12/01/2017 22/01/2019 11:30 09:48
Opened in June 2019 Bluebell Cemetery is a privately-owned cemetery offering facilities
for traditional burial, woodland burial, cremation services and the placement of remains.
Set within 28 acres of natural beauty containing ancient woodland that features a
variety of flora and fauna, the beautiful grounds have been developed to provide a
venue for funeral services whilst maintaining an ambience of peace and tranquillity.
Located close to junction 4 of the M25, the cemetery has easy access to the
motorway and Knockholt Railway Station which are both about one mile away.
• Non-denominational Chapel with seating for 100
• 1-hour Service Times
• Cremation Services
• Pre-purchased Burial Space
• Traditional Grave Spaces
• Gated Family Gardens
• Woodland Burial
• Complete Masonry Service
• Wide Selection of Personalised Memorial Options
• Ample Parking
Watercroft’s Wood, Old London Road, Halstead, Kent, TN14 7AE
www.bluebellcemetery.com
Tel: 01959 533769 Email: info@bluebellcemetery.com
wealdentimes.co.uk
134
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Final Goodbyes
We talk about the different options available for funeral services
Jo Loveridge, funeral director and owner of Albany Funerals
Does a funeral have to take place in a church or
crematorium? It can do if you want it to, but more and
more we are helping families to choose an alternative
location that is right for them. We have held funerals
outdoors, in hotels and pubs, and in village halls. These
can be great choices if you want more space and time,
or something aimed towards celebrating a life. For those
who do not want a religious service, you can find many
alternative venues. One funeral we provided last year was
held on an outside decking area of a beautiful country pub.
That was special for the lady who had died – a location
that made a big difference for those who attended.
What makes a ‘good funeral’? There is such a thing as a
‘good funeral’ and celebration of someone’s life. When
a funeral is personal, authentic and specific needs and
requests are considered it can be a very helpful step in
the difficult grieving process. We are passionate about
giving people that. It is the reason we started Albany and
why we work with families across the whole of Kent,
arranging both traditional and modern funerals.
I believe families and individuals going through
the hardest of times should have a funeral
that is both personal and affordable.
Does there have to be a funeral? These days, people are
taking complete control of their funerals more and more –
and some do decide that they do not want a funeral at all.
One of the services that we offer is a ‘Direct Cremation’,
which means that there is no funeral at the crematorium,
but the ashes are returned to the family in an urn or casket.
Families can then have their own get-together in a way that
suits them and costs much less and could be held anywhere, as
there is no coffin. Many people actually find it much easier to
remember someone’s life without
the presence of the coffin.
albany-funerals.co.uk
Neil Lincoln, manager of Bluebell Cemetery
Tell us about Bluebell Cemetery. We have 28 acres of beautiful
grounds near Sevenoaks, which have been developed to
accommodate both formal and woodland burials in peace
and tranquillity. There is also the option for the placement
of cremated remains within the memorial gardens.
The modern chapel is available to use for funeral and
memorial services by all faiths and denominations.
Burials in the cemetery can also be for any religion.
Do you have advice for those wishing for burial? It is
strongly advised that if your wish is for burial arrangements
are made to ensure it is possible. The grave will need to
be purchased in advance, as many cemeteries are close to
capacity. Purchasing a grave in advance of need also gives
the person their choice of burial space, so those who are left
behind do not have the worry of making the correct choice.
Tell us about your woodland burials... A natural, or woodland
burial, is ideal for those wanting a more environmentally
friendly means of burial, instead of a traditional grave with
a formal headstone. Our woodland burials are available to
everyone, irrespective of faith or religion. Only single depth
graves will be dug within the woodland area, although it
is possible to have up to four sets of ashes interred in each
grave. Each grave is marked with a microchip so that it can
be identified by future generations, along with an engraved
granite boulder or a memorial plaque on an oak post. We
encourage and welcome the use of environmentally friendly
coffins and natural materials. Please contact Bluebell Cemetery
for details of the coffins supplied by Vegan Coffins.
bluebellcemetery.com
135 wealdentimes.co.uk
Be Yourself
at Claremont
NEW
Nursery &
Pre-Prep building
for Sept 2020
2019
OPEN DAYS
Nursery & Prep School
Fri 15 & Sat 16 May, 9.30am -1pm
St Leonards, East Sussex TN37 7PW
01424 751555
Senior School & Sixth Form
Sat 16 May, 9.30am - 1pm
Bodiam, East Sussex TN32 5UJ
01580 830396
enquiries@claremontschool.co.uk . claremontschool.co.uk/events
Easter
Activities
Holiday activities for children
aged 5 to 14 years
6 - 9 April & 14 - 17 April,
8.30am - 4.30pm
Booking essential
Noticeboard
The latest school and event news from the South East
Education
Open days
FREWEN COLLEGE
Thursday 30th April
frewencollege.co.uk
HuRSTPIERPOINT
SCHOOL
Saturday 2nd May
hppc.co.uk
Centenary Celebrations
One hundred years ago, Manor House
School, now in Little Bookham, Surrey,
began as two small classrooms in
Sidmouth, Devon. The private day school
for girls relocated to Little Bookham
in 1937 and has been based there ever
since. It now houses one of the best
co-educational Nursery Schools in the
area, rated 10/10 by parent testimonials,
as well as a nurturing Prep School and
thriving Senior School for girls.
This September will see Manor
House School celebrate their milestone
anniversary and the centenary will
be marked with a calendar of events
throughout the academic year, starting
with a ‘Centenary Heritage Picnic’ on
Saturday 12 September. The event will
be open to the public and will include
tours of the school and grounds, live
music, stalls themed to different decades,
games on the lawn, cream teas and an
extensive display of photo archives.
manorhouseschool.org
REIGATE ST MARyS
Monday 4th May – playgroup
Saturday 16th May – early years
reigatestmarys.org
BEECHWOOD
SACRED HEART
Tuesday 5th May
beechwood.org.uk
MANOR HOuSE SCHOOL
Wednesday 6th May
manorhouseschool.org
BOx HILL SCHOOL
Wednesday 6th May
boxhillschool.com
DuLWICH PREP
CRANBROOK
Thursday 7th May
dulwichprepcranbrook.org
For the Record
Frewen College is delighted to have
a record number of Sixth Form
students applying to UCAS this year
for university places. In fact, 71% of
Sixth Form students leaving Frewen
in 2020 have applied to study at
university with a range of courses
from History & Politics to Film
Making and Sports Therapy, which
is way above the national average.
Hazel Lawrence, Head of Sixth
Form, said: “This is testament
to the hard work of the students
and the aspirational nature of our
Sixth Form; dyslexia is certainly
not holding back our students!”
frewencollege.co.uk
An Inspector Calls
King’s Rochester is celebrating excellent
inspection results. When the Independent
Schools Inspectorate (ISI) team carried
out their rigorous routine inspection of
standards at King’s Rochester at the end of
January, their conclusions were summed
up in one word: EXCELLENT!
Nursery and Pre-Prep, Prep and
Senior School were scrutinised for
the quality of their work with
pupils, academic achievement
and personal development and
wellbeing – and findings in
every section were first-class.
kings-rochester.co.uk
PARKSIDE SCHOOL
Friday 15th May
parkside-school.co.uk
MARLBOROuGH HOuSE
Friday 15th May
marlboroughhouseschool.co.uk
SuTTON VALENCE
SENIOR SCHOOL
Saturday 16th May
svs.org.uk
CLAREMONT SCHOOL
Saturday 16th May
claremontschool.co.uk
Heads Up
Mr Eddy Newton has been appointed
as the new Headmaster of Marlborough
House. Previously Head of Felsted
School and Chafyn Grove School, Mr
Newton will start at Marlborough
House in September 2020.
Approaching its 150th Anniversary,
the school continues to look ahead
with an ethos based on Enjoying
Today, Educating for Tomorrow
and introducing the Pre-
Senior Baccalaureate.
marlboroughhouseschool.co.uk
OPEN MORNING
01 MAY
9.30 & 11am
A hidden gem of a school and
nursery, just 15 minutes from
Tunbridge Wells in rural Wadhurst.
An Independent Catholic primary
school and nursery welcoming
boys and girls aged 2-11.
ISI rated ‘Excellent’ in all areas.
Individual and exceptionally high
level of care and education
100%
11+ Success
(2019/20)
Scholarship and 11+ success
Small classes
Surprisingly affordable fees
Contact us to book a tour
01892 783414 admin@sacredheartwadhurst.org.uk
www.sacredheartwadhurst.org.uk
TOP 100 PREP SCHOOLS 2019
Untitled-3 1 Sutton Valence School
04/03/2020 09:50
svs.org.uk
Open
Mornings
Prep School
Friday 24th April 2020
Senior School
Saturday 16th May 2020
Book online now at
svs.org.uk/open-mornings
Quality Mark
EARLY YEARS
AWARD
wealdentimes.co.uk
138
SuttonValenceWT218.indd 1 09/03/2020 15:01
Spring Grove School
TUNE UP - TURN LOUD
ROCK
Classically trained, grade expert,
overly serious, likes rollnecks
Jimi Hendrix
Johnny Marr
Ed Sheeran
They didn’t do grades...why should you?
‘A great place to
grow’ for boys and
girls aged 2 to 11
years
Spring Grove School, Harville Road, Wye TN25 5EZ
Non-graded rock guitar coaching for all ages
and standards.
Teaching your choice of songs.
Play what you want to play.
If it rocks, we can teach it
acoustic guitar - electric guitar - piano - vocals
email: pluckandstrummusic@gmail.com
07976 897916
SpringGroveSchoolWT208.indd 1 09/05/2019 BrownlowGuitersWT217.indd 10:22
1 19/02/2020 16:30
139 wealdentimes.co.uk
CranbrookSchoolWT218.indd 1 11/03/2020 10:56
YEAR 7 ENTRY
SCHOLARSHIPS
OFFERED
ENJOYING TODAY
EDUCATING FOR TOMORROW
PRE-PREP & PREP | BOYS & GIRLS 3-13 YEARS | DAY & FLEXI BOARDING
Open Morning
Friday 15th May, 9.30am – 12pm
Pre-register online
marlboroughhouseschool.co.uk
Marlborough House School, Hawkhurst,
Cranbrook, Kent, TN18 4PY
70% success rate for senior
school scholarships
‘Excellent’ academic and
pastoral care (ISI rated)
Pre-Senior Baccalaureate
for Years 7 and 8
150 years of traditional
values and family ethos
Education
Reading
Pleasure
Hilary Wilce emphasises how settling down
with a good book can considerably boost
your child’s progress at school
Last month we celebrated World Book Day, the
annual international event that champions reading,
especially among children. Students were given
£1 book tokens, and many schools got in the swing by
organising book-based events and having pupils to come
to class dressed as their favourite book character.
There’s lots of fun and dressing up, but it’s all for a
serious purpose. As the World Book Day charity points
out it’s been known for a long time that regular daily
reading leads to improved school performance.
Now a new study from University College London’s
Institute of Education has shown that what children read
makes all the difference to their academic performance.
Researchers looked at the books that 43,000 pre-teens
and early teens were reading, and found that reading highquality
books on a daily basis added up to the equivalent
of 10% extra school progress between the
years of 11 and 14 (often a make-or-break
time in education). The same effect was not
found for comics, newspapers or magazines.
This is interesting because while
it’s clear why all children need to
learn to read and write, it’s less
obvious why they need to read
books, especially fiction. Surely,
these days, it’s enough to
know how to send and
receive information?
Why should anyone
plough through
Harry Potter
or The Hunger
Games if they don’t want to?
On one level the answer is
purely mechanical. Reading
good books widens your general
knowledge and gives you a better
vocabulary. It thickens the brain
cortexes, which are the
bits of the brain
“Researchers found
that reading highquality
books
on a daily basis
added up to the
equivalent of
10% extra school
progress between
the years of 11
and 14”
that handle higher order thinking, and it
improves concentration, confidence and understanding.
But there are other more elusive, and arguably more
important benefits as well. Reading fiction develops
the imagination and encourages children to understand
situations that are different from their own, and to develop
empathy for people in those situations. It also encourages
what the child psychologist Margaret Donaldson called
“disembedded thinking”, or thinking about things that
are not related to direct experience. Through reading,
she says, children begin to see language as a structure
that is separate from everyday events and that in turn
allows them to develop self-awareness and self-reflection,
and to think better about the world around them.
For parents who want to help their children develop
a love of reading, there are plenty of tips on offer, from
daily reading, to getting a library card, and
suggesting books budding readers might
enjoy. A very quick search online will
throw up masses of good suggestions.
But many children just don’t want to
know. The lure of the screen is strong, and
fewer and fewer children are reading outside
school for pleasure. This decline has been
going on for years, until now only just over
half of all children ever read for pleasure, and
less than a quarter do it on a daily basis.
Even worse, children get mocked for reading.
When a 13-year-old boy in South Shields
recently set up an Instagram account to share
reviews of books he had enjoyed, his classmates
set up a group chat to taunt him, adding
him in so he could see them calling him a “sad weirdo”.
However, when his sister called them out on Twitter,
the boy got 85,000 people showing support, as well as
messages from his favourite authors and the offer of a free
book from a local bookshop. So who won in the end?
And it isn’t hard to know who of those involved in
this nasty spat will go on to do well at school and in
life – and get lots of reading pleasure along the way.
141 wealdentimes.co.uk
DON’T MISS
The Wealden Times and Surrey Homes
Education Annual
PRICELESS
SUMMER 2019
6
SUMMER 2019
Kent | Sussex | Surrey
ED-OutsideCovers.indd 3 13/12/2019 11:37
88 pages packed with everything you need to know about
giving your child the best possible start in life
wealdentimes.co.uk
June 2020
142
ART
Wed 18 Mar
Smallhythe Place, Smallhythe,
Tenterden, Kent, TN30 7NG
Dressing Miss
Terry Exhibition
An exhibition focusing on
the part played by Ellen
Terry’s costumes during her
illustrious acting career and her
collaboration with designers,
dressmakers and dressers. It
will also examine the processes
involved in preserving and
conserving unique theatrical
garments in order to exhibit
them. The sumptuous costumes
of Beatrice and Benedick from
Much Ado About Nothing, worn
by Ellen Terry and Henry
Irving in the 1880s will be on
display for the first time.
nationaltrust.org.uk
Sat 21 Mar – Sun 14 Jun
Chatham Historic
Dockyard, Main Gate Road,
Chatham ME4 4TZ
Tattoo: British
Tattoo Art ReveAled
A ground-breaking look into
the history of British tattooing,
featuring over 400 original
artworks, photographs and
historic artefacts, it tells a story
that challenges the most deeplyheld
myths and pre-conceptions
about tattooing. Displaying the
work of major tattoo artists,
including George Burchett,
via the Bristol Tattoo Club,
Alex Binnie and Lal Hardy,
the exhibition showcases the
largest gathering of real objects
and original tattoo artwork
ever assembled in the UK.
thedockyard.co.uk
Thu 30 Apr – Sun 6 Sep
Turner Contemporary
Place, Space and Who
Place, Space and Who is
a new artwork by British,
Birmingham based artist
Barbara Walker, created over
a four-month residency at
Turner Contemporary. It
explores identity and belonging,
featuring sound and portraits
of five women and girls from
the African Diaspora living
in Margate and Kent.
Entry: Free
turnercontemporary.org
Children &
Families
Wed 8 Apr 5.45-9pm
Port Lympne, Aldington
Rd, Lympne, Hythe,
Kent CT21 4LR
Dusk Safaris
Next month sees the first of
Port Lympne’s breathtaking
monthly dusk safaris for 2020.
On these unique evenings,
guests journey to the safari park’s
authentic savannahs, alive with
South American, Asian and
African animals, whilst taking
in the stunning views, before
enjoying a three-course meal
at the Port Lympne Hotel.
Entry: £49.50
aspinallfoundation.org
Easter
Sat 28 Mar – Sun 19 Apr
Various Locations
Cadbury Easter
Egg Hunt
National Trust has teamed up
with Cadbury once again for
their great Easter egg hunt. Visit
locations including Bodiam
Castle, Scotney Castle, Chartwell,
Bateman’s and Ightham Mote
for fun family days exploring
nature and supporting the
Trust, protecting Kent’s
natural and historic places for
everyone to enjoy. Plus there
will be chocolate prizes!
cadbury.co.uk/easter /
nationaltrust.org.uk
Tue 7 & Wed 8 Apr
The Artisan Bakehouse,
No.1-3 Horsebridge Cottages,
Horsebridge Common, Ashurst
West Sussex BN44 3AL
Chocolate
Masterclasses
Learn to make fresh cream
truffles, crème caramel truffles,
Easter chocolate bunnies and
even an Easter Egg with Noble &
Stace. Does Easter get any better?
The Sussex-based chocolatier’s
masterclasses are limited to a
maximum of eight people, and
will give you a solid introduction
to the art of tempering. The price
also includes tea or coffee, mid
morning homemade cakes and
a two course lunch with wine.
Plus, everything you create will
be packaged up in gift boxes
to take home. If you miss the
Easter options there are more
scheduled for later in the year.
Entry: £125pp
nobleandstace.co.uk
From Home
What’s On in April
Tues 28, Thu 30 Apr, Wed
6, Tue 19, Wed 20 May
Various locations and online
Wooley & Wallis
Auctions
Wooley & Wallis’ have various
auctions planned for the next
couple of months with an online
live bidding system. Upcoming
auctions will be selling beutiful
and unique items including Fine
Chinese and Japenese art, medals,
coins, silver and jewellery.
woolleyandwallis.co.uk
Thursdays 6pm
Sarah Maxwell’s
Online Classes
& Courses
Because so many people
are struggling mentally and
physically, our wellbeing guru,
Sarah Maxwell, is offering up her
time for free. Visit her Facebook
page (@sarahmaxwelllifestyle)
where she has a free weekly
wellness programme, for all levels.
These sessions aim to give you
20 minutes of gentle exercise that
can be done at home, to help
with the immune system, stress
management and anxiety. Plus,
take a look at the Bookfit app
for live classes which have been
cut in price or Sarah’s website
for online courses. Wealden
Times readers can get 60% off
the courses with discount code
C19, which you can then keep
and use when you choose.
sarahmaxwell.com
Music & Theatre
Sat 18 April 7.30pm
Rochester Cathedral, The
Chapter Office, Garth
House, The Precinct,
Rochester, Kent, ME1 1SX
HYMN of PRAISE
Gravesham Choral Society
& Orchestra performs
Mendelssohn’s Hymn of
Praise with soloists Helen
Lacey, Ellen Pearson and
Stephen Anthony Brown, and
conductor Alan Vincent.
Entry: £15, Students £5 (available
in advance on 01474 816684,
from members of Gravesham
Choral Society or on the door)
Sun 19 Apr 3pm
Assembly Hall Theatre,
Tunbridge Wells,TN1 2LU
Verdi’s Messa
da Requiem
Royal Tunbridge Wells Choral
Society will perform Verdi’s
Messa da Requiem, conducted
by Robyn Sevastos. Soloists
will be Helen Bailey (sop),
Indyana Schneider(mezzosop),
John Findon(tenor),
and Steven East(bass).
Entry: £10-£22 available
from the Assembly Hall box
office (booking fee applies) by
phone, online, in person at
Gateway or at the box office
01892530613 / rtwcs.org.uk /
assemblyhalltheatre.org.uk
Shopping
Sun 19 Apr 10am-3pm
Tenterden Spring Fair,
The Assembly Room,
Town Hall, 24 High Street,
Tenterden, TN30 6AN
& Sun 26 Apr 10am-4pm
One Warwick Park Hotel,
1 Warwick Park,
Tunbridge Wells TN2 5TA
Tunbridge Wells
Spring Fair and
Tenterden Spring Fair
Support local pop up is back
and bigger than ever with their
Tunbridge Wells Spring Fair and
Tenterden Spring Fair. At either
event, you’ll be able to shop a
143 wealdentimes.co.uk
SUNDAY EXPRESS
MAIL ON SUNDAY
DAILY MAIL
The King’s Singers
Finding Harmony
23rd May 2020
www.malthousetheatre.co.uk
01227 287234
KingsSchoolEnterprisesWT218.indd 1 03/03/2020 SindenTheatreWT217.indd 14:04
1 18/02/2020 10:47
AT THE ORCHARD THEATRE
DAVID BADDIEL
TROLLS: NOT THE DOLLS
MON 6 - SAT 11 APRIL
SAT 25 APRIL
wealdentimes.co.uk
TUE 14 - SAT 18 APRIL
SUN 3 MAY
NEWLY
Photo of previous cast member
THE LEGEND HHHHH LIVES ON!
REFURBISHED
AUDITORIUM
144
WED 22 APRIL
"A riveting examination
Paul Walden & Derek Nicol for Flying of Music conscience in association with Adrian and Grant for class" Key Concerts present
FEATURING THE SONGS OF
MICHAEL
AND THE
JACKSON 5
"Spectacular.
HHHHH
If you haven’t seen it, you must.
If you have, see it again"
MON 4 - SAT 9 MAY
HHHHH
"Thrilling.
Don’t dare miss it!"
DIRECT FROM The National LONDON’S Theatre’s WEST END
Landmark THU 23 Production
APRIL
HHHH HHHH
‘You can’t beat it! J B ‘...a PRIESTLEY’S wonderful show’
EVENING STANDARD
AN
WHATSONSTAGE
INSPECTOR
CALLS
DIRECTED BY‘A glitzy concert
STEPHEN DALDRY of song and dance.
THE HITS JUST
TUE 12 - SAT KEEP 16 ON MAY COMING’
/The Orchard Theatre @OrchardTheatre theorchardtheatre
TICKET OFFICE 01322 220000
‘QUITE LITERALLY THRILLING’
THE STAGE
OrchardTheatreWT218.indd 1 03/03/2020 17:10
CLASSIC THRILLER
DAILY TELEGRAPH
What’s On in April
handpicked selection of products
from small businesses in Kent and
East Sussex who will be bringing
all the best of jewellery, candles,
art, gifts, cards, homeware,
bath products, ceramics,
clothing and so much more.
Entry: Free
supportlocalpopup.co.uk
Workshops
Fri 24 Apr 10.30am-4pm
Godinton House, Godinton
Lane, Ashford, Kent TN23 3BP
CERAMIC SCULPTURE
WORKSHOP
Join Brenda Burgess for a
friendly, fun and deeply
informative workshop. Take a
look at the human form and the
themes of ‘Mother Nature’ and
‘Mother and Child’. All abilities
truly welcome.
Entry: £65
brendaburgess@brendaburgessarts.
co.uk / brendaburgessarts.co.uk
Look Forward:
May
Fri 1 – Sun 3 May 9am
Silcocks Farm, Grange Road, St.
Michael’s, Tenterden TN30 6TL
The Three French Hens
The Three French Hens are it
again with a three-day brocante
sale of all sorts of wonderful
home and garden collectibles
07773460494
Fri 8 May – Sun 10 May
Hever Castle, Hever Road,
Hever, Edenbridge TN8 7NG
75th anniversary
of VE Day
Hever Castle will mark 75
years since the end of World
War II with a street party style
celebration. Visit in period dress
and bring a picnic, to enjoy
on the Castle forecourt, meet
members of the 4th infantry, see
40s war jeeps and members of the
Ministry of Food, listen to 40s
music, join the tea dance, hear
speeches from Prime Minister
Winston Churchill, browse
stalls selling vintage wares and
refreshments. All in all, immerse
yourself in the atmosphere of
this pivitol point in history.
hevercastle.co.uk
30 May – 27 Jun
Rye Art Gallery, 107 High
St, Rye TN31 7JE
‘Painting Places’ – Karl
Terry & Tom Marsh
Karl Terry and Tom Marsh are
both dedicated and enthusiastic
artists who delight in setting
up their easels and immersing
themselves in the landscape, from
the wilds of Romney Marsh to
the foaming seas of a bright,
bracing day on Camber Sands
and to scenes far beyond. Their
skilled brushwork, painting from
direct observation, reflect a real
sense of place and atmosphere.
During the show there will
be an opportunity to meet
Tom and Karl and watch
them at work as well as
demonstrations in the Gallery.
ryeartgallery.co.uk
Listings are correct at time of
going to press but may be subject
to change. Readers are advised to
check with venues before making
arrangements. We can list your
event in the next issue of Wealden
Times for only £15+VAT. Please
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allocated. If you would like your
event listing to be accompanied by
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May issue is 10 April 2020.
145 wealdentimes.co.uk
ICHFLtdWT218.indd 1 04/03/2020 10:46
Wood Floor
Sanding
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AllWoodsSandingServicesWT2171/8.indd 1 21/02/2020 ClareLangdonWT200.indd 12:55
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Clare Langdon business card 3 heavier font.indd 1 &
15/05/2018 21:49
Clare Langdon business card 3 heavier font.indd 1 15/05/2018 21:49
The Auctioneer's Next Sale Will Be On
Wednesday 8th April 2020
Early Viewing
Tuesday 7th April 2020 12.00 p.m - 7 p.m
Commencing at 12.30pm | Viewing 10.00am - 12.30pm
The Auction Rooms, Argyle Road, Sevenoaks, Kent, TN13 1HJ
Tel: 01732 456731 Web: www.ibbettmosely.co.uk
125 High St, Sevenoaks, Kent TN13 1UT
Registered in England No. 0C341637 Regulated by RICS Registered at the Sevenoaks office as Ibbett Mosely Surveyors LLP
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Association House, St David’s Bridge,
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fonts
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I N T E R I O R S
I N T E R I O R S
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Antique Restorer
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IbbettMoselyWT218.indd 1 05/03/2020 DavidHallWT108.indd 12:51
1 14/01/2011 15:27
BE WISE
WHEN YOU ADVERTISE
HOME STORE
Everyone wants to get what they paid for. Wealden Times is independently
verified by ABC, because we want our advertisers to know they’re getting the
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ABC. See it. Believe it. Trust it.
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146
2018_be wise when you advertise_full A4.indd 2 08/11/2018 11:31:31
SHOPWT217.indd 1 17/02/2020 ABC.indd 12:29 1 12/12/2018 17:15
Competition
Win A BEAUTIFUL TEAK
club bench by bridgmAN
Bridgman is a family-run
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Since 1977, Bridgman’s
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You must be over the age of 18 to enter.
Congratulations to Hayley Pisano
who wins our February competition for
a two-night stay for two at Laindons
Guest House in Hastings Old Town
147
Jane Howard’s
Fables from
the Farm
It’s April, Easter is upon us, and that of
course means we’ll be busy lambing
The rams went in with the
ewes on Bonfire Night and
five months later, April Fool’s
Day, the lambs start arriving. And
every year we look forward to it,
completely forgetting the sleepless
nights, tricky births, inevitable
losses and endless amounts of
washing – it’s a messy business!
When the rams went to work in
the autumn they wore a harness
known as a raddle which holds a wax
crayon on their chest. This means
that when they serve a ewe they leave
a large coloured mark on her rump.
By changing the colour of the crayon
every 10 days or so – from orange
to blue to black – we can tell the
order in which the ewes will lamb.
We also had them scanned after
Christmas to know whether they
were carrying singles, twins or triplets
and marked them accordingly. Not
only is this useful information at 3am
when you have to investigate a tricky
birth, which could involve four, eight
or, heaven forbid, 12 legs, but it also
means we can stand by to sort out
the adoptions that will be necessary
every time we have a ewe give birth to
triplets. And in 2020 we’re expecting
more triplets than ever. Busy times.
As she only has two teats and not
enough milk for three, it’s unfair
to leave Mum with
triplets as she will be
constantly bothered by
ever hungry lambs and
the weakest of the three
won’t get enough and
won’t thrive. So when
we get a triplet delivery
the Coopers 24 hour
adoption service (that’s
me) swings into action.
Soon after the birth,
and you probably only have a window
of about 24 hours, a different ewe
expecting a single will hopefully start
to lamb. Strangely enough you always
need to keep a closer eye on these, as
singletons can grow much bigger in
the womb than the twins and triplets
and are often the trickiest to birth.
Anyway, back to the adoption. Once
the singleton birth becomes very close,
you go to the pen with the triplets and
select the strongest one. You then need
to tie its front legs together and then
its back legs together so it struggles to
stand – just like a newborn – and then
you deliver the singleton into a bucket
to collect all the gloop, cover the by now
“It’s unfair to
leave Mum with
triplets as she
will be constantly
bothered by ever
hungry lambs”
rather confused triplet in it and hey
presto show the new mum her fantastic
pair of freshly born wet twins. As long
as the adopted lamb doesn’t kick off
its shackles and walk off in disgust,
the mum is usually fooled and it’s
one of those happy ever after stories.
All the lambed ewes remain in the
shed for a couple of days to allow
everyone to get to know each other,
a process known as “mothering up”.
Then we spray the same number on
the sides of all the
new family so if any
lambs get accidentally
parted, you just pick
them up and wander
round the field with
the lost no. 53 lamb
seeking the matching
53 ewe. Sheepshaped
Pelmanism.
We only have 80
ewes and are always
in awe when we pass a field of ewes
with three-figure numbers on their
sides. Impressive stuff. So how we
chuckled when a London friend
suggested we start ours off at 101, so
they too had three digit monikers.
Interestingly, the Victorians, who
had smaller flocks and no spray paint
made up their sticky dye with red
ochre and animal fat and used letters
A to Z to identify the ewes as this
required less of the precious dye than
numbering them 1 to 27. How clever.
Follow Jane Howard – and the farm – on
Instagram @coopersfarm
wealdentimes.co.uk
148
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