Christmas at Water Lane

‘Tis soon the season and there’s much to sparkle at Water Lane in the coming months.

Christmas at Water Lane in Hawkhurst, Kent, sees the three-acre walled garden bedecked with boughs of foraged evergreens and berries, and festoon lights twinkling prettily between the Victorian glasshouses. Visit for festive feasting in the Carnation House, private dining in the Pelargonium House, a festive workshop, and the Water Lane Christmas Market, taking place over the whole first weekend in December.

Water Lane shop
Festive gifts and products in the shop have been curated by Water Lane custodians Nick Selby and Ian James, and shop manager, Pia Carpenter. Their combined intent is to champion the local, the artisan and the small-scale.

Festive gifts and products in the shop have been curated by Water Lane custodians Nick Selby and Ian James, and shop manager, Pia Carpenter. Their combined intent is to champion the local, the artisan and the small-scale.

Festive feasting
From 1st- 24th December parties of eight plus guests can indulge in Water Lane’s festive menus, to be shared by the table. Plates include Venison Carpaccio, Sprouts & Capers; Roast Scallop, Pepper Dulce & Lardo or Roast Duck, Carrots & Brandied Prunes. Vegan options include Tempura Sprouts and Christmas Ketchup to start, followed by Chestnut & Cep Stuffed Squash, all served with traditional festive trimmings and optional supplements. And for dessert, Clementine Crème Brulee, a Local Cheese board, and of course Water Lane’s Christmas Pudding.

Christmas Market
1st and 2nd December
10-4pm
£7.50 per car or free entry on bike or foot

On the first weekend of December, make a date for Water Lane’s Christmas Market. All around the site and in the glasshouses will be festive stalls from craftspeople, makers, and artisan food producers. Come to shop from small and independent stalls run by creative and talented people and enjoy festive food and hot mulled drinks.

Christmas Trees and Wreaths | Gifts | Crafts | Cambridge Imprint cards and stationery
Cheese, Charcuterie, Preserves | Mince Pies and Puddings

New for 2023 is the Christmas Market Feast, a communal dining table on both days of the market. Sit down for 12.30pm for a festive vegetarian family style feast celebrating the roots and brassicas which are so special, sweet, and full of flavour after the hard frosts of Winter. Priced at £37.50 per person, this wonderful menu from Jed Wrobel and his team includes Winter chanterelle and pearl barley arancini with quince ketchup; Beetroot carpaccio, sprouts, and nasturtium pods; Jerusalem artichoke and pepper dulce temptation and for pudding, a poached pear and chocolate pavlova.

Festive Workshops
Create something beautiful at one of Water Lane’s festive workshops. Floral stylist Graeme Corbett from Bloom & Burn with teach various sessions to create stunning, naturalistic Christmas Wreaths, made using dried flowers, seedheads and other fresh and foraged materials harvested from around the Water Lane Garden, perfectly complemented with a luxury velvet ribbon. While in the Alternative Willow Christmas Tree Weaving workshop, Dominic Parrette will teach how to weave a robust, beautiful conical plant support that can double up as a Christmas decoration this winter. Using sustainable materials, the resulting support will be both elegant and robust and will last two or three growing seasons.

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About Water Lane

Water Lane is a walled garden on what was once the Tongswood Estate in Hawkhurst, in the High Weald of Kent. A long-term restoration project, led by custodians Nick Selby and Ian James, there is a restaurant, a large and productive garden growing vegetables, fruits, herbs and cut flowers, a small shop of useful and beautiful pieces for the home and garden, select garden plants for sale and event spaces.

Water Lane Walled Garden | Hawkhurst | Kent | TN18 5DH
www.waterlane.net | @water.lane