PRESS RELEASE
15 April 2025 - For immediate release
Hole Park gets ‘picture perfect' for bluebell season:
Garden of the Year finalist's plan to keep bluebells safe and snappers happy
As this year's magical bluebell season arrives, a Kent garden that is famous for this natural Spring wonder has come up with a plan to help protect these beautiful but fragile flowers from inadvertent damage by visitors eager to capture that perfect bluebell photo.
2025 Garden of the Year finalist* Hole Park, near Rolvenden, is taking a two-pronged approach to solving what seems to be a growing problem, fuelled by social media trends on platforms such as Instagram and TikTok.
Firstly, it is promoting a bluebell care code for enjoying the spectacular ‘carpets of colour' responsibly. The code spells out the word SNAP:-
- Stay on the paths at all times
- Never walk through patches of bluebells no matter how tempting they look
- Always respect these fragile flowers and never pick them
- Photograph yourself, family or friends with them only using designated photo spots
"When people see bluebells in full bloom it can be really tempting to just step into their midst to take a photo," says Hole Park Head Gardener Quentin Stark. "Trampling on these delicate plants doesn't just spoil the view that year; it actually causes long-term and possibly irreparable harm to them for years to come, by compacting the ground and damaging the bulbs below.
"Bluebells are also more than just the show; they play an important role in the local ecosystem, supporting pollinators and other vital insect populations."
This year, Quentin and his team are setting up a series of photo spots in the bluebell woods where visitors can happily take that special selfie or portrait against the perfect blue backdrop without the need to walk into the bluebells.
Hole Park has also gone a stage further and commissioned professional photographer and social media content creator Hannah Lamprell, aka The Life Narrator, to create videos about respecting the bluebell care code and taking great bluebell photos. These will be used on Hole Park's website and social media.
"Respecting nature is the first step towards protecting it," says Hannah. "Trampling may seem harmless, but it will cause lasting damage. We want to get the message across that you don't need to do that to get the perfect shot and, if you want to continue to enjoy these gorgeous annual displays into the future, you need to keep off the carpet."
Hole Park is renowned as one of the best places to see bluebells in the South East. The Bluebell Spectacular event attracts hundreds of visitors over just a few weeks, eager to see one of Nature's most impressive displays, as the woodland floor becomes a sea of violet-blue from mid-April to mid-May.
The Bluebell Barometer on the Hole Park website provides regular updates about the maturity and development of the bluebells as they approach their peak.
Visitwww.holepark.comfor full visitor information and to book tickets.
-ends-
For further information please contact:
Press Office, Hole Park Estate, Benenden Road, Rolvenden, Kent TN17 4JA
Alison Miles
M: 07900 691116 / DL: 01580 241344
Notes to editors
* Hole Park is one of eight finalists in this year's Garden of the Year Award, run by Historic Houses.The prestigious national award, presented annually since 1984 and sponsored by Christies, is designed to recognise the importance of some of the country's most spectacular gardens with outstanding horticultural and public appeal. The final winner is decided through an online vote by members of the public who judge the gardens based on a variety of factors that contribute to their enjoyment as visitors.Voting is open from now until the end of September at: https://www.historichouses.org/vote-goya/ with the winner revealed in November.
About Hole Park
Nestled in 200 acres of classic English parkland,Hole Park is a hidden gem of the High Weald National Landscape. It has been owned by the Barham family for the past four generations, having been purchased as a family home by Edward Barham's Great Grandfather, Colonel Arthur Barham, in 1911. In the mid-1920s the Colonel made the bold decision to share the beauty of his recently created gardens, by opening them to the public: a tradition that is maintained to the present day. Over the decades, each succeeding generation has improved and innovated the layout and planting in the gardens.
The current custodians, Edward and Clare Barham, moved into Hole Park with their three children and dogs in 2003. Since then, they have undertaken a comprehensive re-planting programme of the garden which reflects and enhances the Colonel's original plans from the 1920s. Edward and Clare both take an active role in managing the gardens. This includes public opening days, so they are often found selling tickets in front of the house, serving in the Tea Room or walking their dogs around the gardens.