Knowlton Court, Nonington, Canterbury, England

The Speed family came to Knowlton in the 1890s and called in Sir Reginald Blomfield in 1904 to remodel the interior and some of the exteriors. He was also responsible for laying out the garden at this time, as well as the garden at Godinton. Areas around the house were used to make characteristic terraces and raised walks enclosed by battlemented yew hedges and balustrades, with flights of brick steps. There are gravel walks and grant wrought iron gates. The garden around the house is of architectural formality and simplicity.

The large walled garden to the south has a dominating monkey- puzzle (Araucaria araucana) that Blomfield presumably left or planted as a focal feature to the axis up the steps from the main garden. The walled garden has been divided into two. One half is grassed while the other is used to grow vegetables, including more unusual varieties. As far as possible, these are grown organically.

Blomfield probably also planted the fine approach lime avenue that runs north-west of the house from a circular forecourt to line up on the distant Chillenden windmill. Many of the limes fell in the 1987 storm but have been winched upright and pollarded in the hope of recovery. The Dower House to the east of the lime avenue is an attractive Flemish gabled 17th century building. The lodge at the end of the avenue is by Sir E Lutyens (1912). According to Newman, Lutyens was also asked to design a first plan of the drawing room in the main house in the same year.