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Sissinghurst Castle Gardens to take centre stage in new BBC TV series Hidden Treasures of the National Trust

A Kent castle is to star in a new BBC TV show.

Airing tomorrow (May 19), Sissinghurst Castle Gardens will feature in Hidden Treasures of the National Trust.

The top courtyard at Sissinghurst Castle Gardens. Picture: National Trust Images/Arnhel de Serra
The top courtyard at Sissinghurst Castle Gardens. Picture: National Trust Images/Arnhel de Serra

Scheduled for 9pm on BBC2, the programme will shine a light on the often-hidden work done by conservators and curators to look after items in the trust’s care.

Hidden Treasures of the National Trust follows the experts at work, as they breathe new life into fragile marvels, uncover hidden stories and strive to keep the past alive.

The series introduces audiences to some of the volunteers and staff revealing their passion, dedication and affection for the places and collections they help to maintain.

Sissinghurst will feature in episode two, alongside Batemans in Burwash, East Sussex.

House and collections manager Eleanor Black in Vita's Writing Room at Sissinghurst. Picture: National Trust Images/Arnhel de Serra
House and collections manager Eleanor Black in Vita's Writing Room at Sissinghurst. Picture: National Trust Images/Arnhel de Serra

Viewers will get to see behind the scenes while staff race to restore Vita’s Writing Room and battle to preserve a collection of phone numbers handwritten by Vita on the crumbling wall.

Eleanor Black, house and collections manager at Sissinghurst, said: ‘‘Our mission is to share the story of Vita Sackville-West and the Writing Room is such an important means to do that, particularly the decoration decisions, looking at the colours she chose.

“All of that tells you more about Vita Sackville-West and the decisions she was making at home and in her life.

“This is our star show room. This is the heart of Sissinghurst, so feeling like we’d lost this or we’d have to close it to visitors, was really devastating.”

The National Trust also works to preserve the gardens at Sissinghurst in the same spirit in which Vita created them. Many of the plants and trees that survive today were planted in her time.

Sissinghurst's head gardener Troy Scott Smith during the winter. Picture: National Trust Images/Arnhel de Serra
Sissinghurst's head gardener Troy Scott Smith during the winter. Picture: National Trust Images/Arnhel de Serra

Troy Scott Smith, head gardener, said: “The head gardener job at Sissinghurst is one of the best jobs in horticulture.”

Viewers will also be able to see Troy working to save a clematis planted in a large terracotta pot which is damaging its roots. To make matters worse, the pot - itself a treasured original feature of Vita’s garden - is in danger of collapse.

The six-part series will visit some of the National Trust’s most well-known locations including Churchill’s home - Chartwell in Kent, as well as lesser-known treasures such as Hardman’s House in Liverpool, home to a nationally significant collection of photographs.

Alistair Pegg from BBC Arts said: “Almost six million of us are members of the National Trust, but in this series we wanted to offer viewers a chance to discover something that visitors don’t normally see – the efforts behind the scenes to care for the wonderful gardens, the houses and their treasures, that together tell a story about us all.”

House and collections manager Eleanor Black and building surveyor James Kenton inspect a wallpaper fragment from Vita's Writing Room. Picture: National Trust Images/Arnhel de Serra
House and collections manager Eleanor Black and building surveyor James Kenton inspect a wallpaper fragment from Vita's Writing Room. Picture: National Trust Images/Arnhel de Serra

Tarnya Cooper, from National Trust, added: “We to look after over 500 places for the benefit of the nation, and trying to convey the scale of that responsibility is not easy.

“However, this series beautifully brings to life the quantity and diversity of the objects and places in our care, and the incredible skills of our staff, volunteers, and the specialists we work with.

“We will be spending £360m on conservation projects across our buildings, collections and gardens over the next three years and viewers will be get a sense of the fact that on any one day we could be repairing a puppet from the Second World War, through to 2,000 year old Roman sculptures, and everything in between.”

Sissinghurst is open every day from 11am – 5.30pm and visitors will be able to see the Writing Room from the doorway during their visit.

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