Located on the historic Mersham le Hatch Estate—once owned by Lord Brabourne—the Secret Garden has been part of the local community for nearly 20 years and remains proudly owned by a local farming family.
Over the years, we’ve earned a reputation for exceptional, locally sourced homemade food and warm, attentive service. What began as a farm shop with a small café soon grew into a thriving restaurant that occasionally hosted weddings. Then, in early 2022 becoming an exclusive Wedding & Events Venue.
We are incredibly proud to be one of Kent’s leading venues. It’s been quite an adventure already, and we’re so excited for all that’s still to come for the Garden.
At the Secret Garden, we love to celebrate love—whatever that looks like for you. After all, that’s what it’s all about. We’re dreamers, fun-loving, and always open to your ideas. Whatever will make your day truly yours, we want to hear it. We believe wholeheartedly that the magic of a wedding lies in crafting a celebration that reflects your unique love story: the journey that brought you here, standing at the top of our aisle, making commitments that are deeply personal to you both.
There is no “one size fits all” approach to weddings—and this is the heart of our ethos. Our entire team, from our Coordinators to our Chefs and Bar Managers, is passionate about helping you shape a day that feels like your own. We’re here to guide you, support you, and create something magical together.
Our Sister Venues:
Sustainability at The Secret Garden is more than a policy—it’s a commitment. After seeing the environmental impact a single wedding can have, we chose to do things differently. Today, we grow many of our own ingredients, work with local suppliers, minimise waste, and offer renewable décor through our Prop Hire service. With the launch of our Wedding Tree Project, every wedding also gives something meaningful back to the land. Our aim is simple: beautiful celebrations that tread lightly on the planet.
We care for three family farms in Aldington, Brabourne and Herne, managing the land responsibly to protect soil health, wildlife and natural resources. Our work includes wildflower meadows for pollinators, restored hedgerows, protected watercourses, ponds, cover crops, and carefully managed grassland. From 2026, we will also provide educational access for schools and community groups.
Our on-site herb and vegetable garden supplies seasonal produce, herbs and edible flowers, alongside fruit and nut trees throughout the walled gardens. Our farms provide free-range eggs and vegetables, and our on-site butcher prepares free-range chicken, pork and beef.
We plant pollinator-friendly gardens using native species, practise organic gardening, and in 2026 will introduce an Insect Hotel to support biodiversity, pollinators and natural pest control.
We provide real petal confetti made from dried petals and UK-sourced flowers. Our Prop Hire service allows couples to hire décor such as signage, runners and table details—saving money, reducing waste and keeping styling reusable. We also recycle extensively, compost all green waste, and have reduced printing by over 90% through our online planning portal.
Launched in 2025, our Wedding Tree Project plants one tree for every wedding hosted. Each tree is planted at one of our farms, with couples receiving a photograph and What3Words location as a lasting reminder of their day.
