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Nurture Your Green Space

Over half a century of acquiring trees and shrubs has led me to discover the finest selections for breathtaking spring blooms.

Over half a century, Maurice Foster has accumulated a considerable variety of woody plants within his garden at White House Farm, located in the county of Kent.

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I've spent half a century amassing trees and shrubs that bloom spectacularly in the spring. Here...
I've spent half a century amassing trees and shrubs that bloom spectacularly in the spring. Here are my top picks.

Over half a century of acquiring trees and shrubs has led me to discover the finest selections for breathtaking spring blooms.

Wander through Maurice Foster's lush, undulating hillside garden in sunny Kent, and you'll get more than a crash course in flowers––you'll learn a thing or two about geography too! With every turn on the winding grassy paths, you'll stumble upon prize magnolias, rhododendrons, and camellias in bloom. This dedicated plantsman can spin a yarn about any one of them, and he's got some wild tales up his sleeve, thanks to his globe-trotting adventures on plant-hunting expeditions to far-flung locales like western China, northern Pakistan, Bhutan, Mongolia, Japan, Tasmania, and Aotearoa New Zealand[1].

But don't be fooled by the humble driveway––behind it lies a hidden gem. Maurice and his second wife Rosemary snapped up a 1970s-era nut wood back in 1972, and they've spent decades transforming it into the sprawling woodland garden it is today[2]. With pick and shovel in hand, they've carved out a little slice of paradise.

When they moved in, Maurice's kids thought he was just a tad bonkers[2]. But now, they see the merit in his horticultural masterpiece. Wind is the enemy of woody plants, and Maurice was well-aware of that fact. So, he made sure to plant a shelter belt to protect his precious specimens from the elements. It's no wonder that Maurice likes to say there's nothing between them and the Urals except for Margate Pier and a few flimsy telegraph poles[2]!

Maurice's garden is a treasure trove for plants enthusiasts, students, and academics alike[3]. Clare, his daughter, even set up the White House Farm Arboretum Foundation to ensure its future. And with the help of esteemed trustees Chris Sanders, Jack Aldridge, Chris Lane, Rod White, and countless volunteers, the garden thrives[3].

Among the 7,000 woody plants on Maurice's database, he's cultivated 71 Champion trees (the biggest in Britain and Ireland), a staggering 250 different magnolias, 150 camellias, and over 250 rhododendrons, not to mention his fondness for Japanese acers, sorbus, carpinus species, hydrangeas, philadelphus, deutzias, and roses[1]. And if a plant isn't delivering the goods, Maurice doesn't hesitate to replace it with––you guessed it––a rose[2].

When he's not admiring his own handiwork, Maurice cherishes the growing community of fellow enthusiasts who flock to the garden. And he doesn't mind sharing his seeds with those who visit[2]. It might have taken him a while to win over his family, but it looks like his garden has finally won them over too.

Key Plants

  1. Rhododendron smirnowii–Offers large, lacy, and drooping flowers in shades of pink and red.
  2. Magnolia Honey Tulip (Jurmag5)–Presents big, tulip-shaped, yellow blooms.
  3. Corylopsis sinensis–Features fragrant, butter-yellow flowers.
  4. Viburnum sympodiale–Bears clusters of white, cream-colored flowers.
  5. Illicium simonsii–Boasts star-shaped, yellow blooms with a rich, fragrant scent.
  6. Camellia x williamsii 'Mary Phoebe Taylor'–Displays striking, pink-petaled flowers.
  7. Magnolia x soulangeana 'Lombardy Rose'–Presents large, rose-like flowers.
  8. Melliodendron xylocarpum–Offers big, cream-colored flowers with a vanilla-like fragrance.
  9. The lush hillside garden of Maurice Foster in Kent houses a variety of plants, including the Rhododendron smirnowii, known for its large, lacy, and drooping flowers in shades of pink and red.
  10. Alongside the Rhododendron smirnowii, the home-and-garden magazine-worthy gardens of Maurice Foster also boast the Magnolia Honey Tulip, which showcases enormous, tulip-shaped, yellow blooms.
  11. The gardens, a delight to plants enthusiasts, students, and academics alike, are home to over 250 different magnolias, one of which is the Magnolia x soulangeana 'Lombardy Rose', known for its large, rose-like flowers.
  12. In the gardens, there's also an undeniable love for Japanese acers, sorbus, carpinus species, hydrangeas, philadelphus, deutzias, and roses, which can be spotted throughout the sprawling woodland garden.
  13. Beyond these popular garden plants, the gardens are a treasure trove for more exotic and rare species, such as the Illicium simonsii, which boasts star-shaped, yellow blooms with a rich, fragrant scent.
  14. Furthermore, the gardens house a stunning array of flowers, such as the Corylopsis sinensis, featuring butter-yellow flowers, and the Viburnum sympodiale, which bears clusters of white, cream-colored flowers.
  15. Lastly, the gardens also have the Melliodendron xylocarpum, a plant offering big, cream-colored flowers with a vanilla-like fragrance. These diverse plants, when combined with the garden's unique geography, truly make it a charming, horticulture-focused lifestyle destination.

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