Kitchen Gardens of the National Trust

Visit some of the finest in gardens in England and Wales this summer with the National Trust. Whatever your taste in gardens, you’ll be sure to find something to delight you in their beautiful Kitchen Gardens.

And while you're there, sample the Trust's Food Glorious Food campaign, celebrating local, seasonal food. Highlights include Devon's Knightshayes Court, which has a large organic garden supplying fresh produce and heritage vegetables to its restaurant and a local wholesaler. The estate also has vines, producing grapes for its own wines, which are made at award-winning Yearlstone vineyard.

The Kitchen Gardens of the National Trust are well worth a visit for inspiration, ideas, quality, history and excellence. Read on to discover a garden near you…

 
Llanerchaeron, Ceredigion

This 18th century Welsh gentry estate is a jewel waiting to be explored. In addition to the walled kitchen garden which grows an abundance of fruit, vegetables and herbs, all of which can be bought by visitors, there is a dairy, a brewery and a salt house to discover. Visitors can also see farming come to life before their very eyes as there’s often lambing, shearing and hay-making in progress. Beyond the immediate estate, the parkland offers breath-taking walks through the beautiful Aeron Valley

Erddig, Wrexham

One of the most fascinating houses in Britain and winner of the UKTV’s ‘Britain’s Best’ historic house Erddig is well known as a place not to be missed. The gardens add much to the beauty and atmosphere; the restored formal 18th century walled garden is a delight with the Yew Walk, National Collection of Ivies, not to mention the spectacular collection of apple varieties – one of the best in the Trust’s portfolio- there is much to be discovered.

Hidcote Manor Gardens, Gloucestershire

One of England’s great gardens it’s made up of exquisite ‘garden rooms’ each possessing its own special character. The kitchen garden is currently undergoing an exciting 4yr restoration process, with a plot being added to the garden each year with the ultimate aim being that the garden will supply all the fruit and veg to the Garden restaurant

Tyntesfield, North Somerset

A glorious Victorian extravaganza awaits all who visit. The magic extends to the gardens where you can explore the formal terraced gardens and the wonderful walled kitchen garden. Highly productive since 1837 the protected environment of the garden and the skills of a Victorian workforce would have ensured fruit and vegetables for the house all year round. Today visitors can see peaches and other soft fruits being grown in the 19th century glasshouses as well as a wide variety of vegetables, and even take some home with them.

Chartwell, Kent

Home of the much loved Sir Winston Churchill, both the house and the garden evoke much of the celebrated man’s character. The terraced hillside gardens reflect the importance Churchill placed upon the natural landscape. The Golden Rose garden, a golden wedding gift from the Churchill children to their parents runs down the centre of a very productive kitchen garden. Restored to glory in 2004, the garden is full of charm, growing many varieties of the fruit, vegetables and flowers which were grown during Churchill’s time.

Scotney Castle, Tunbridge Wells, Kent

The celebrated gardens, designed around the ruins of a 14th century moated castle are spectacular. Featuring glorious displays of rhododendrons and azaleas intertwined with wisteria and rambling roses.  Fabulous work is taking place in the kitchen garden as the fruit and veg beds have been entirely dug over and a 10yr project is underway to get the life blood of this garden flowing once more.

Trengwainton Gardens, Cornwall

Intimately linked to the picturesque stream which runs the length of the garden there are paths leading up to a terrace and summerhouse where you’ll get splendid views across Mount’s Bay to The Lizard. The walled gardens contains many rare and unusual species which are difficult to grow anywhere else in the country – visitors can now view previously closed sections of the garden from a newly built viewing platform. The kitchen garden is now if full production for the first time in many years and a wide range of vegetables, fruit and herbs are now being grown.

Knightshayes Court, Devon

 The vast Garden at Knightshaye’s was the family’s passion and they packed it with rare trees and shrubs, creating the celebrated ‘Garden in the Wood’. The newly restored kitchen garden, now fully productive supplies fresh organic heritage varieties of veg and fruit to the property’s restaurant is one of the West Country’s best examples of a working kitchen garden. It’s stepped walls and fairly tale turrets make its structure unique in the country. The vines in the garden also allow the property to make their own label ‘Knightshayes’ wine.

Felbrigg Hall, Norfolk

Felbrigg is a gardener’s delight with a decorative and productive walled garden, Victorian pleasure garden and rolling landscape park. The kitchen garden is laid out around a pond and divided into four potagers of mixed veg and their traditional companions. Herb borders are planted either side of the 18th century dovecote and provide a sensory delight and the New Orchard is planted with varieties of fruit that were known to have been grown in the garden during the 19th century.

Oxburgh Hall, Norfolk

Oxburgh Hall is certainly a place of mystery and intrigue and as you step through the Tudor gatehouse you will truly feel as though you have stepped back in time. The garden has a stunning Victorian French parterre, Catholic chapel, walled orchard and kitchen garden. The Victorian Orchard boasts plums and quinces amongst its many delights and the kitchen garden is home to a vast array of wonderful veg- pumpkins, radishes, courgettes and asparagus galore.

Beningbrough, North Yorkshire

The delightful kitchen garden at Beningbrough began its journey to restoration in 1995 and along the way many of the original features have been conserved , including the 100yr old pear arch which runs along the centre of the garden, the green house and the chimneys which were last used in the 1900’s to heat the garden walls. In the greenhouse visitors will be able to spot peaches, figs and nectarines flourishing as well as a root crop of liquorice and ten varieties of vines. After your visit don’t forget to take a trip to the Beningbrough restaurant where your taste buds are sure to be tempted by dishes prepared with this wonderfully fresh produce.

Gibside, Newcastle-upon-Tyne

This stunning 18th century landscape garden is the perfect way to spend a day. A ‘grand’ design of spectacular vistas, winding paths and grassy open spaces, the garden oozes tranquillity and calm. The kitchen garden too is a space of calm but also enthusiastic planting; with a wonderful array of heritage vegetables grown, many of which are supplied to the property restaurant.

Event at this property -Gibside have a Farmers' Market on Saturday 20 June, from 10am - 3pm

They bill it as: With an array of local fare, organic meat and eggs to bear and dog biscuits, there's something for the whole family and every palate. With food based activities for children and local folk musicians adding to the experience. Free entry to the market and normal admission will apply to Gibside.

Hinton Ampner, Hampshire

Best known for its fine gardens Hinton is a masterpiece of 20th century garden design. Crisply manicured lawns and fine topiary are cleverly combined with informal planting – giving the gardens a lovely relaxing feel to them. The walled garden is now a hive of activity after being opened to the public only 3 yrs ago. Vegetables and soft fruits are thriving in their new home and a herb garden has been recently planted, featuring herbs used for medicinal purposes as well as for cooking.

Ham House & Garden, Richmond –upon- Thames

One of a series of grand houses and palaces along the River Thames, Ham is an unsually complete survival of the 17th century; a place where time has truly stood still. The kitchen Garden in front of the Orangery is very productive and produce is served daily in the Orangery café. The process of restoration is ongoing with the kitchen garden and will eventually include beds of veg, herbs and flowers bordered by box and topiary, with a central path of espaliered fruits.

Sizergh Castle, Cumbria

Sizergh stands proud in a rich and beautiful garden which boasts ponds, lakes, an important collection of hardy ferns and a superb limestone rock garden. The kitchen garden is also definitely worth a visit; strawberries and raspberries sit happily alongside a wide selection of old and modern varieties of veg, all of which are widely used in recipes available in the café. On the site of the old kitchen garden stands the present-day orchard; a curious mixture of eating, cooking and crab apples, several varieties of plum and damson trees and an unusual quince.

Acorn Bank, nr Penrith, Cumbria

A delightful garden renowned for its herbs and old English fruit; this tranquil garden shaded by ancient oaks is home to a nationally renowned herb garden – with 250 medicinal and culinary herbs. The orchards too are bursting with life and are packed with a multitude of traditional fruit varieties.

Calke Abbey, Derbyshire

At Calke there’s plenty to keep a keep a keen gardener entertained; the 18th century Physic Garden otherwise known as the Lower Kitchen Garden was originally planned as a medicinal herb garden. This plot has now been restored as a working kitchen garden, divided into rotating beds for potatoes, legumes and root crops. There’s also an abundance of soft fruits with blackcurrants and redcurrants amongst the favourites grown for the kitchens at Calke.

Clumber Park, Nottinghamshire

The spectacular glasshouses, one of the longest in Trust ownership at 450ft and immense Lime Tree Avenue hint at the grandeur that was Clumber in it heyday. And although the house was demolished in 1938, the past is instantly brought to life in the organically managed Kitchen Garden. The impressive glasshouses house 12 bays where vines, figs, peaches and nectarines are grown, whilst outside is the domain of  the hardy types of asparagus, rhubarb and artichokes. The orchard at Clumber boasts 70 different apple varieties, most of which are native to Nottinghamshire and the surrounding counties.

Berrington Hall,Herefordshire

Beautifully sited above a wide valley with sweeping views to the Brecon Beacons, lies Berrington Hall, an elegant house set in parkland designed by the celebrated ‘ Capability Brown’. The walled kitchen garden houses a renowned collection of apple trees- the National Collection of Historic Hereford and Marches Apples, many of which are no longer in general cultivation.

Attingham Park, Shropshire

Attingham exemplifies the country house lifestyle; one of the greatest country houses in Shropshire is flanked by a large working estate and deer park, an area of great natural beauty. The newly restored walled garden is home to enthusiastic planting which is now bearing fruit and producing fantastic seasonal produce for the tea-room and for visitors to purchase.