The online forum for the Walled Kitchen Gardens Network with all the latest news, events and musings.
Forum 2018 Northern Ireland – some photos
Programme for Forum 2018, 13th and 14th October
Mount Stewart and Clandeboye, Gardens of the Ard Peninsula, Northern Ireland A Northern Ireland Forum Visiting Ireland for the first time with the WKGN, our Forum will be held this year on the 13th and 14th October at the Clandeboye Estate and Mount Stewart, with visits to other nearby walled gardens Our speakers are among the leading authorities on Irish Gardens, their history and restoration. We have the opportunity to hear from: Neil Porteous Head Gardener at Mount Stewart, Regional Head of National Trust Gardens in Northern Ireland and plantsman: ‘WALLED GARDEN AT MOUNT STEWART – the next chapter’ Finola Reid Garden historian and acknowledged expert… Read more »
The Lost Gardens of Tiverton!
Can you help us restore this lovely Regency Walled Kitchen Garden in Mid Devon? We are looking for two people (might possibly suit friends or a couple, retired or on a sabbatical) to help out with our project to restore the garden at Ashley Court near Tiverton in Devon. The main house dates from 1805 but the garden is quite probably a lot older, maybe 1650’s. It is currently being surveyed by the Devon Gardens Trust to assess its historic significance. It is ¾ of an acre and is remarkably un-changed over the last 150 years or so with some mysterious fixtures and… Read more »
Walled Garden Tenancy in Wales
Walled Garden Tenancy Available at Hafod, Ceredigion A knowledgeable and experienced horticulturist is sought to take on the walled kitchen garden at the heart of the Grade I registered, picturesque landscape of Hafod (SN 757730 – SY25 6DX). The two-acre site includes two restored, 19th century Messenger glass houses and an irrigation system. No accommodation is available and a local tenant would be preferred for that reason. Enquiries in the first instance to the Hafod Estate: 01974 282568, or enquiries@hafod.org
Forum 2018 Northern Ireland 13th – 14th October
KITCHEN GARDENS OF THE ARD PENINSULA Visiting Ireland for the first time with the WKGN, our Forum will be held this year on the 13th and 14th October at the Clandeboye Estate and Mount Stewart, with visits to other nearby walled gardens Our speakers are among the leading authorities on Irish Gardens, their history and restoration. We have the wonderful opportunity to hear from: Neil Porteous – Head Gardener at Mount Stewart, Regional Head of National Trust Gardens in Northern Ireland and plantsman Finola Reid – Garden historian and acknowledged expert on the history and restoration of walled gardens in Ireland Terence Reeves-Smyth – Historian and author, on garden and… Read more »
Forum and data protection
Dear Friends We are very glad to be able to let everyone know that we are heading to Northern Ireland for the 2018 Walled Kitchen Gardens Forum. Our destination is Mount Stewart (according to The National Trust it was voted one of the world’s top ten gardens) and we’re delighted that Head Gardener, Neil Porteous will be our main speaker. We will hold the conference at Clandeboye Estate, which is close to Mount Stewart. Mount Stewart does not have large enough conference facilities whereas Clandeboye can easily accommodate us. Clandeboye is home to the Marchioness of Dufferin and Ava, and will be our venue on Saturday 13th to hear our speakers…. Read more »
FORUM 2018 – NORTHERN IRELAND – 13th/14th OCTOBER
The Walled Kitchen Garden Network’s Forum this year will take place, for the first time in Northern Ireland, on the 13th and 14th of October. We will be based at Clandeboye near Belfast, which is close to our main destination, the beautiful Mount Stewart Estate. Mount Stewart does not have large enough conference facilities whereas Clandeboye can easily accommodate us. Situated on the peninsula between the Irish Sea and Strangford Loch, Mount Stewart enjoys a unique microclimate enabling many Southern Hemisphere plants to thrive. However its walled kitchen garden is very much ‘work in progress’, as will be demonstrated by Neil Porteous the head gardener (who is also… Read more »
CALLY GARDENS FOR SALE
We received the following letter from Andrew Wickenden, the late Michael’s brother. (Many of you will remember our visit to Cally in 2016) As you may have heard, after much delay Cally is finally up for sale, please see: http://www.jhslaw.co.uk/property/cally-avenue-castle-douglas/ As you can tell from my description of the nursery in the sale particulars, I am keen to keep Cally as a nursery , building on my brother’s plant collection (and on all his years of hard work !).
Palm trees anyone?
3 mature Trachycarpus fortunei looking for a home. One is in a large container and two are soon to be lifted from the ground. Buyer to collect. We have machinery to help with loading. At a good price or in exchange for a small donation to your favourite charity, all negotiable. Also a Daphniphyllum macropodum and seven Viburnum tinus lolly pops currently in cement pots that are not included. A banana and canna’s (looking none too good at the moment). A number of good sized Tetrapanax papyrifer, a tall chocolate Cordyline australis, Fatsia japonica… one or two things. Pictures available and please pass on to any garden you think might… Read more »
SEPT/OCT 2017 MUSINGS by Maz
Gardening Volunteer at Tatton Park Walled Kitchen Garden, Knutsford, Cheshire. The Glasshouse ranges are awaiting restoration funding, which is a long drawn out process. They are being slightly disguised by foliage covered frames used for the maze representation at this year’s RHS Show here in July – good recycling. Corrective pruning of the freestanding fruit trees in the Orchard Lawn continues; the height of the apple trees has been reduced so that ladders are not required to pick the fruit, and later in the year the pear trees will be retrained into pyramidal shapes. In the Kitchen Garden the Team are harvesting vegetables until they come out of… Read more »