Bedgebury National Pinetum

Bedgebury National Pinetum stands in the Kent countryside, on a site once part of a private estate. The land slopes gently around Marshall’s Lake and a stream-filled valley, with open meadows and dense woodland. It began as the National Conifer Collection in 1925 and now holds over 10,000 trees across 320 acres. The collection includes rare and endangered conifers, with 56 vulnerable species growing here. Five National Plant Collections are kept on site, recognised by Plant Heritage. The pinetum is worth the journey because it is the most complete conifer collection anywhere in the world. William Dallimore, a leading Kew botanist, organised its early development. In 1987 the Great Storm blew down nearly a quarter of the trees, yet the collection was rebuilt and expanded. Today it welcomes around 500,000 visitors each year and grows 2,000 new trees annually. Conservation work here supports global efforts to protect conifer diversity. Visitors find wide gravel paths winding through grouped plantings of firs, cedars and cypresses. Marshall’s Lake reflects the tallest tree in Kent, an Abies grandis, and the three tallest Leyland cypresses in the UK. Broad rides cut through the woodland, opening views across open grassland. A children’s play area and walking trails suit families, while quiet corners let others study the living gene banks. The landscape still carries traces of its past as an ornamental park, with old drives and lodges.