ENGLAND
COUNTRYSIDE
Sarah Rogers Sarah and Ed Rogers are current owners of Riverhill Himalayan Gardens, Sevenoaks Riverhill House and Gardens was bought by Ed’s great, great Grandfather, John Rogers in 1840. John Rogers was a scientist and friend of Charles Darwin. He was a patron of the great plant collectors of the day. Many rare species of plants and seeds were brought back from the Himalayas (hence Riverhill Himalayan Gardens), and planted in this hillside garden, where they thrive today. The estate entered a period of Kent, England decline after the Second World War, and several decades later, when Sarah and Ed took up the reins seven years ago they were faced with very significant restoration projects in the house and gardens. Sarah and Ed, and the whole family have worked (and continue working) with tireless energy and commitment to restore the gardens. Riverhill Himalayan Gardens was opened to the public less than three years ago, and welcomed over 10,000 visitors last season. Most weekends, you will see Sarah in the café taking orders and running children’s treasure quest parties in the woods, Ed building fabulous new dens in the woods for the children, Ed’s mother Jane takes care of all the ordering for the café, and even Great Granny, Evelyn, aged 90, still takes an active interest in new planting in the Gardens. The Gardens have a spectacular natural beauty, and the views to the Weald of Kent must surely be the best in the county.
Sarah is an inspiring lady, and would be a wonderful ambassador for UK and/or Kent tourism, especially in connection with the Diamond Jubilee and possibly also with the Olympics. Sarah has strong family and community values, great vision and a tireless work ethic. The Rogers family and Riverhill Himalayan Gardens also have various Royal connections. The silk worms at Lullingstone Castle produced silk for the Queen's wedding dress and they were desperate for mulberry leaves to feed them. The Rogers family sent leaves from their mulberry tree and in return received a small piece of the wedding dress silk as a thank you. (We still have this, obviously!) As for the old mulberry tree, it is at the back of the Walled Garden. In terms of other Royal connections, Evelyn's second son, Peter (deceased), was Silver Stick-in-waiting to the Queen and commanded the Household Cavalry. Jane's father, the late Colonel Sir Hugh Brassey, was Lord Lieutenant of Wiltshire and was a Yeoman of the Guard at The Tower of London. We have his uniform (suitably splendid) which we also hope to display during the Jubilee week.
Sarah has been especially effective at engaging the local community, with many local people volunteering to help with various projects in the Gardens, rewarded by Sarah and Ed’s very generous hospitality, and a great sense of achievement.
Contact: Mrs Catherine Smith Telephone: 01732 469452 / 07810 522101 Email: Catherine@riverhillgardens.co.uk Website: www.riverhillgardens.co.uk 18
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