Hole Park celebrates silver milestone while bidding for gold in Garden of the Year competition
One of Kent’s most picturesque gardens, Hole Park, is marking a silver milestone this summer while aiming for gold in the prestigious Historic Houses Garden of the Year Award*.
Head Gardener Quentin Stark is celebrating his silver jubilee in the role, having spent 25 years caring for and guiding the evolution of the renowned 16-acre private gardens. These gardens, which have been welcoming the public for over a century, were the birthplace of the National Garden Scheme as we know it today.
Quentin Stark is celebrating 25years as Hole Park's Head Gardener
Before joining Hole Park, passionate plantsman Quentin spent eight years with the Crown Estates, including time at the Crown nurseries where he refined his propagation skills. Today, he applies those skills across the gardens and shares his expertise with the next generation of gardeners, welcoming trainees through the WRAG Scheme (Work and Retrain As a Gardener Scheme) and leading hands-on workshops for visitors**.
Quentin runs worshops to pass on his skills
Together with Hole Park’s current custodians, Edward and Clare Barham, and the dedicated garden team, Quentin hopes to celebrate his Silver Jubilee year by winning the 2025 Garden of the Year title, having reached the finals for the first time. The winner will be chosen entirely by public online vote, open until 31st August at https://www.historichouses.org/vote-goya/
The result will be announced in November.
Hole Park is a finalist for this Award for the first time
Quentin’s connection to Hole Park runs deep - his mother also worked there, making his appointment as Head Gardener in 2000 a truly meaningful family milestone.
Over the past 25 years, while carefully preserving the garden originally created by Colonel Arthur Barham, Quentin has overseen its evolution through significant investment of time and resources. He has sympathetically reshaped spaces, expanded the variety of plant genus and species, and introduced new features, such as a thriving tropical border, which has exceeded expectations in the UK climate.
This success now forms part of the knowledge he shares during his popular plant workshops.
“Above all,” Quentin says, “I make sure we remain true to the Colonel’s aim to provide a place of beauty and peace for both the Barham family and visitors.”
His proudest achievement to date is the Centenary Garden project, completed in 2023 by the in-house team to mark 100 years since Colonel Barham’s original plans were realised.
Border colour changes "month by month and even week by week"
Quentin reflects, “There is always something new coming into bloom as the seasons progress, and it’s heartening to see the pleasure it brings to staff and visitors as the border displays shift in shape and colour month by month, even week by week.”
Championing new talent is another role Quentin embraces with pride. For the past eight years, he has supported the WRAG Scheme, mentoring aspiring gardeners and helping them develop their practical and creative skills. Recently, he and his team guided WRAGS apprentice and former civil servant Jane Eastwood, an experience Quentin describes as “very rewarding and positive.” Under his mentorship, Jane designed a fresh look for Hole Park’s Italian-style Millennium Garden and went on to secure a coveted show border spot at Gardeners’ World Live in June, where she was awarded a silver medal.
Quentin with WRAGS mentee Jane Eastwood in the Millennium Garden
Hole Park is open to the public on Wednesdays and Thursdays from now until the end of October, with the addition of Sundays during October, to enable the public to enjoy its spectacular display of Autumn colour.
*Historic Houses Garden of the Year Award
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. There are seven finalists this year in the nationwide shortlist, following initial assessment by a panel of judges.
** Quentin’s next gardening workshop, covering tree and shrub propagation, takes place on Wednesday 29 October. Book online at www.holepark.com