Public gardens and open spaces have been able to remain open in lockdown, and from Monday, March 8 restrictions will be relaxed so that you can use outdoor space for recreation as well as exercise, and sit down and meet a friend or relative from outside your household or bubble.

If you're thinking of making an outdoor date next week, here are when the county's garden are opening their gates again:

Goodnestone Park Gardens

The privately-owned gardens near Canterbury, which have a walled garden and a woodland garden, are now open daily, between 10am and 4pm. They will next open for the National Garden Scheme on Sunday, June 13. Find out more at goodnestoneparkgardens.co.uk

Godinton House

The gardens near Ashford will reopen to visitors on Tuesday, March 30, with tickets on sale from Friday, March 19. Visitors can attend in two household groups, or in a group of up to six. The house tearoom follows suit on Friday, May 21. More at godintonhouse.co.uk

Penshurst Place

The family-owned estate’s gardens and grounds are scheduled to reopen daily to visitors from Saturday, March 27. In the meantime, the footpaths around the parkland are open. Details at penshurstplace.com

Hole Park

The 16 acre gardens and 10 acres of woodland in Rolvenden will reopen to visitors from Thursday, April 1, between 11am and 6pm daily. There will be a new online booking system so visitor numbers can be controlled. Find out more at holepark.com

Riverhill Himalayan Gardens

The Sevenoaks site with its space to explore and gardens to admire reopens for the 2021 season on Friday, March 12.

For more on visiting go to riverhillgardens.co.uk

Hever Castle and Gardens

The gardens are currently displaying snowdrops in flower, which will give way to daffodils in the coming weeks - and tulips in April. The gardens and wider grounds are open, and children’s playgrounds. Find out more at hevercastle.co.uk

Great Comp Garden

The garden at Borough Green reopened for the season this week. Find out more about visiting here.

* Under the Government’s roadmap to the easing of restrictions, visiting gardens with a friend or another household is also only a few weeks away, from April 12, when the rule of six is set to return.

For more days out news across Kent click here.