Weald - Garden of England Attractions 
The hilly landscape of the Weald extends between the North and the South Downs, and reaches the coast in the county of Kent, to the east. In this region, often called the "Garden of England", romantic valleys contrast with bright deciduous forests, green pastures, and numerous fruit gardens and hop fields; between these lie attractive villages and small towns, all having managed to retain their own individual charm.
Oast Houses
Characteristic of this hop-growing area are the oast houses, brick buildings with white pointed roofs on whose floors hops used to be laid out to dry. Many of these oast houses have now been converted into desirable second homes. Other local building traditions were "tile hanging", scale-like wood and brick decoration of houses, and "weatherboarding", wooden slats, brightly painted or made weatherproof with a layer of pitch or tar, fixed to the exterior walls of buildings.
