A box of chocs and flowers from the garage just won't cut it this year. Treat mum on Sunday, March 30 to a Mother's Day she won't forget in a hurry.

Hever Castle, near Tonbridge
There’s drop-in sessions for young visitors to make paper flowers and decorate cupcakes for mum at Hever Castle this Mother’s Day. At the lakeside Guthrie Pavilion, diners can pick from an unlimited chef’s table for a sumptuous three-course Mother’s day lunch. An afternoon tea menu is also available, with sandwiches served to the table and a mouth-watering variety of cakes. A complimentary glass of prosecco is served with both lunch and tea. Tables must be booked and normal entry costs to the castle and gardens apply.
Not many mums would turn down the chance to see Anne Boleyn’s Orchard covered in a carpet of daffodils sprinkled with hyacinths. Wander through drifts of bright daffodils lining the river banks and explore the grounds where early flowering bulbs and shrubs burst into life.
Price: Lunch £25 adult, £8 child. Tea £15 adult or £7.50 child. Admission to castle and gardens, adult £15.50, seniors £13.25, child £8.70, family ticket £39.70. Small additional cost may apply for some children’s activities.
Address: Hever Castle, near Tonbridge, TN8 7NG.
Contact: For restaurant reservations ring 01732 865052. See www.hevercastle.co.uk.
Opening: Grounds open 10.30am.

Leed Castle, near Maidstone
Take your mum along to sample the delights of a delicious traditional afternoon tea, served in the fairytale Maiden’s Tower next to the castle. Time slots are available at 2pm and 3pm and last one hour. Tea must be pre-booked online. Leeds Castle was the private property of six of England’s medieval queen, so your mum will feel right at home. Toddlers can explore the new Squires’ Courtyard play area, while the Knights’ Realm playground is aimed at children aged five and over.
Price: Tea is £15 per person. Usual entry fees also apply.
Address: Junction eight of the M20, ME17 1PB.
Contact: www.leeds-castle.com.
Opening: Castle opens 10.30am.

Port Lympne Mansion, Port Lympne Wild Animal Park
Treat your mum in style with a traditional afternoon tea at the stunning Port Lympne Mansion on Mother’s Day. Freshly cut sandwiches, homemade cakes and pastries and scones with jam and clotted cream are beautifully presented on a three tiered tea stand, with choice of tea or coffee.
Price: Afternoon tea is £27 a head and must be pre-booked. The price does not include admission to the wild animal park.
Address: Port Lympne Mansion, Port Lympne Wild Animal Park, Lympne, near Hythe, CT21 4PD.
Contact: To book afternoon tea ring 0844 842 4647. For admission prices for the wild animal park see www.aspinallfoundation.org.
Opening: The Port Lympne Wild Animal Park opens from 9.30am.

Rare Breeds Centre, Woodchurch
It’s best to pre-book for the lovely Mother’s Day idea at the South of England Rare Breeds Centre near Ashford. Bring mum along for the two-course lunch at this favourite family attraction on Sunday, March 30, and she will receive free admission to the centre. There are lots of animals to meet and pet and the 100-acre centre is home to lots of rare breeds. Enjoy woodland walks or hang out with the little ones among two play parks, a tube maze and indoor soft play barn
Price: The two-course lunch is £9.95 to include mum’s free entry to the centre. All other tickets to the centre cost £5.45.
Address: Rare Breeds Centre, Highlands Farm, Woodchurch, Ashford, TN26 3RJ.
Contact: For lunch bookings ring 01233 861507 or for general information ring 01233 861493. See www.rarebreeds.org.uk.
Opening: 10.30am to 4.30pm.

Romney, Hythe & Dymcurch Railway
Make mum feel like No1, with the First Class Package, a Mother’s Day treat from the Romney, Hythe & Dymchurch Railway. On this railway, one-third sized steam and diesel locomotives power their way along more than 13 miles of track between Hythe and Dungeness. This Sunday, the First Class Package will buy a seat in a Heritage carriage aboard either the 11.10am or 12.10pm departures from Hythe to New Romney. This pre-booked package includes a lunch of roast lamb with dessert and tea or coffee in the Heywood Buffet, New Romney Station. And the fun goes on, with a Romney Rover ticket to travel for the rest of the day. If mum is lucky she could have a complimentary “Drive a train” session. These are available throughout the day in New Romney Station on a first come, first served basis. Other Mother’s Day packages are also available.
Price: £27 adult, £19 child.
Address: Starting point for the First Class Package is the railway’s Hythe Station, CT21 6LD
Contact: For booking ring 01797 362353, or book online at www.rhdr.org.uk
Opening: For general timetable see www.rhdr.org.uk.

Scotney Castle, near LamberhurstMums go free for the entire day at this picturesque garden with the glorious backdrop of a fairytale 14th century moated castle at the foot of a steep hill. There’s woodland and parkland with over 770 acres to explore, as well as the Victorian country mansion. The first 200 mums through the door receive a free cupcake. Children can also try their hands at card making in the discovery room.
Price: Normal prices for house and gardens. Mum goes free.
Address: Just off the A21 near Lamberhurst, TN3 8JN.
Contact: www.nationaltrust.org.uk.
Opening: 10am to 4pm.

Sissinghurst Castle, near CranbrookThese peaceful and easily accessible gardens are created with beauty in mind, so what better place to bring your beautiful mum? Vita Sackville-West, the poet and writer, began transforming Sissinghurst Castle in the 1930s with her diplomat and author husband, Harold Nicolson. The gardens they created are adored by visitors from all over the world. Spring is the perfect time to see this garden, lush after recent rains and bursting with new life. Treat mum to a two-course meal in the restaurant, and she’ll receive an added surprise of a bag of hand made truffles with her meal.
Price: Mother’s Day two-course lunch £20 per head, must be pre-booked. Garden admission is adult £11.20, child £5.40.
Address: Sissinghurst Castle, Biddenden Road, near Cranbrook, Kent, TN17 2AB.
Contact: Lunch bookings on 01580 710704. See www.nationaltrust.org.uk.
Opening: Mother’s Day lunch served from noon to 3pm. Formal gardens open at 11am.

There's lots more Mother's Day ideas in this week's What's On - free inside your local KM paid-for paper