WALLED KITCHEN GARDENS TO VISIT
The majority of the gardens listed here are open to the public, however there are 45 private walled
kitchen gardens listed on the National Gardens Scheme http://www.ngs.org.uk/search1.htm
Tick the ALL COUNTIES box and type in ‘walled kitchen garden’ in the key words box.
Scotland
Abbotsford, Melrose, Borders, Scotland. Tel 01896 752043 www.melrose.bordernet.co.uk/abbotsford Home of Sir Walter Scott, who built both house and
gardens. Kitchen garden contains his Gothic-style conservatory. Arbigland Gardens, Kirkbean, Dumfries and Galloway. 01387 880283
http://www.bestloved.com/gardens/The-Arbigland-Gardens-in-Kirkbean-Dumfries-&-Galloway-Scotland-UK.htm th Octagonal 18 century kitchen garden, with twin circular apple stores
Blair Castle, Blair Atholl, Pitlochry, Perthshire, PH18 5TL 01796 481207
thMid 18 century, with statue of Hercules and water garden , laid out for the second Duke of Atholl
according to the theories of the garden designer John James. www.blair-castle.co.uk/
Castle Fraser, (NTS), Sauchen, Inerverurie, Aberdeenshire, AB51 7LD 01330 833463
A one acre (0.4 hectare) kitchen garden, well stocked with a typical mixture of Scottish fruit,
vegetables and mixed borders. Aluminium display houses.
http://www.aboutbritain.com/CastleFraser.htm
Castle Kennedy, Stranraer, Dumfries and Galloway, info@castlekennedygardens.co.uk
Two walled gardens, one 18thth and the other 17century, with ruined gazebos.
http://www.ukattraction.com/southern-scotland/castle-kennedy.htm
Cringletie House Hotel, Peebles, EH45 8PL, enquiries@cringletie.com
Working kitchen garden contemporary with the Elizabethan house, now a hotel, to which it belongs.
Peach house, vinery, collection of garden tools, dovecote and bees.
http://www.cringletie.com/groundsandgarden
Culross Palace, (NTS) Culross, Dumfermline, Fife, KY12 8JH, 01383 880359
Reconstruction of period garden and orchard with period plants (c.1600) on terraced ? acre (0.2
hectares) site. http://www.culross.org/palace.htm
Culzean (NTS), Maybole, Ayrshire, KA19 8LE 01655 884455
An 8 acre (3.2 hectare) with a small section devoted to vegetables. Orchard and wall fruit.
http://www.nts.org.uk/web/site/home/visit/places/Property.asp?PropID=10012&NavPage=10012&Na
vId=5111
Floors Castle, Kelso Roxburghshire TD5 7SF, 01573 223333
Kitchen garden is now a garden centre but is still evocative, with glasshouses, back sheds, topiary and
gardener’s house.
Fyvie Castle, (NTS) Fyvie, Turriff, Aberdeenshire Tel; 01651 891266
Kitchen garden has recently been restored
Inverewe, (NTS) Poolewe, Ross-shire, IV22 2LG, 01445 781200
Terraced garden and kitchen garden on the very edge of a sea loch.
Kellie Castle, (NTS) Pittenweem, Fife. Tel: 01333 720271
Organic kitchen garden. Typical Scottish mixture of fruit, flowers and vegetables.
Luffness, Aberlady, East Lothian. Tel: 01875 870218
A rare jardin clos (enclosed garden) built in 1822. The outer rectangular walled kitchen garden encloses an inner diamond-shaped fruit garden.
Manderston, Duns, Scottish Borders, TD11 3PP, 01361 882636/883450
Compartmentalised Edwardian garden on a grand scale, with stone pergola, statuary and fernery.
Mertoun, St Boswells, Melrose, Roxburghshire, Tel: 01835 823236:
The head gardener's house dates from 1677, and is surrounded by immaculate orchard
trees, wall-trained fruit, flowers and vegetables. The late 19th century is represented by Skinner Board
glasshouses, containing perfectly trained figs and peaches.
Pluscarden Abbey, Elgin, Moray, IV30 3UA. 01343 890257? monks@pluscardenabbey.org
Benedictine Abbey with working fruit garden. Massive ancient rubble walls; bee boles.
Prestonhall, Pathhead, Midlothian. (Hotel) 01875 320949
Garden of 1795. twin octagonal gazebos on north wall.
Threave Garden (NTS), Castle Douglas, Dumfries & Galloway, DG7 1RX. 01556 502575 The National Trust for Scotland’s own school of horticulture is based here. The 1 acre (0.4 hectare) walled kitchen garden has an extensive area of soft fruit and vegetables.
Irish Gardens
Ardgillan Castle, Ballybriggan, Co. Dublin, Ireland. 00 353 8492212. Free-standing alcoved fruit walls, herbs, fruit and vegetable potager. Victorian Glasshouse.
Duckett’s Grove, Rainstown, Carlow Town, Co. Carlow
The ruined castle and a small parcel of the original demese, including two fine examples of brick-
lined walled gardens were purchased by Carlow County Council two years ago and are now open to
the public daily.
Glenveagh Castle, Churchill, Co. Donegal, Ireland. 00 353 74 37088/37090?? An immaculate fruit, flower and vegetable garden with castellated walls and a neo-gothic
conservatory.
Glin Castle, Glin, Co. Limerick, Ireland. (Hotel) 0870 050 3232
Stone walls clad with pears and figs. First-class kitchen garden.
Kylemore Abbey, Connemara, Co. Galway, Ireland. 00 353 95 41146 Restored Victorian kitchen garden.
The South West
Barley Wood walled garden, Long Lane, Wrington, North Somerset. Open daily 10am-4pm,
admission ?2.50. Restored kitchen garden run in conjunction with the Better Food Company
producing fruit and veg for the box scheme. http://www.walledgarden.co.uk/
Barrington Court (NT), Nr Ilminster, Somerset, TA9 0NQ. 01460 241938
Working kitchen garden with fruit trained on stone walls.
Clovelly Court Gardens, Clovelly, nr Bideford, N.Devon EX39 5SZ Tel:01237 431200. Open daily March-October, 10am – 4pm. A classic example of the Victorian kitchen garden tradition
Deans Court, Wimborne Minster, Dorset. 01202 86116
Organic herb and kitchen garden (Heritage collection) with serpentine wall.
Edmondsham House, Nr Cranborne, Wimborne Minster, Dorset, BH21 5RE 01725 517207
Flourishing one acre (0.4 hectare) kitchen garden, organically cultivated. Heritage vegetable
collection. One wall entirely of cob; ancient espaliers; decorative borders.
Flete Walled Garden, Ermington, nr Ivybridge, Devon. Tel 01752 830100
www.mairandthompson.com Now used primarily as a nursery for acers, magnolias and paeonies, but worth visiting for the huge complex of Foster & Pearson glasshouses, lovingly restored by its owners,
Mair and Thompson.
Forde Abbey, Nr Chard, Somerset,TA20 4LU 01460 220331
Kitchen garden is now partly the Abbey Nursery, but vegetables and peaches (in lean-to peach houses)
are still grown in the traditional way.
Heligan Gardens, Pentewan, nr Mevagissey, Cornwall, PL26 6EM. 01726 845100
Series of four walled gardens with Heritage fruit and vegetable collections, glasshouses designed by
Paxton, pineapple pit growing pineapples, frame yard, melon ground, peach house, citrus house, bee thboles & back sheds, which have been enthusiastically restored to 19 century productiveness.
Knightshayes Court (NT), Bolham, Tiverton, Devon, EX16 7RQ. Tel: 01884 254665 Recently restored 4 acre garden, possibly designed by William Burges, with stone walls and turrets at
the corners. Cultivated along organic principles, supplying the restaurant and local retail outlets, with
a strong educational ethos. Heritage seed collection, dipping pool, glasshouses and back sheds.
Trengwainton Garden (NT), nr Penzance, Cornwall, TR20 8RZ. 01736 363148. Kitchen garden with terraced beds.
Tresillian Wall Garden, Nr Newquay, Cornwall Tel:01637 877447 Walled kitchen garden with complete range of potting sheds, glasshouses, cold frames etc.
Trevarno, Crowntown, Nr Helston, Cornwall, TR13 0RU. Tel: 01326 5742
www.trevarno.co.uk The walled garden was built around 1838 and has been partly restored, with the top wall ed garden in cultivation. Victorian glasshouses with unique back-wall ventilation system,
'Gothic' potting shed. Trevarno is also home to the National Museum of Gardening which has the
most comprehensive collection of garden tools and memorabilia in the country and is worth visiting
for that alone http://www.trevarno.co.uk/index.htm
Winsford Walled Garden, Halwill Junction, Devon. Tel 01409 221477
www.winsfordwalledgarden.co.uk Used now as a plantsman's garden with plants for sale, but its 13 teak Foster & Pearson glasshouses have been beautifully restored. B&B with weekend courses on
their restoration available.
The North
Beningbrough Hall (NT), Shipton-by-Beningbrough, York, TA6 1DD. 01904 470666
Walled kitchen garden, glasshouse and fruit-tree tunnel.
Burton Agnes Hall, Burton Agnes, Driffield, E.Riding, Yorks. Tel 01262 490324 www.burton-
agnes.co.uk Mostly planted within the walls with colourful herbaceous shrubs and flowers, a maze,
giant chessboard and bamboos, but there is also space for a small potager.
Calke Abbey, (NT), Ticknall, Derby, DE73 1LE Tel: 01332 863822
Magnificent orangery, backed by gardener’s house containing potting room and gardener’s office.
Kitchen gardens restored , with frames, glasshouses and walled flower garden.
th century walls, gateways and recessed heated walls can be seen from the Castle Howard, nr York, North Yorkshire, YO6 7DA. Infoline:01653 648444
Plant Centre, which now occupies part of the 11 acre (4.4 hectare) kitchen garden. A rose garden Vanbrugh’s handsome 18
occupies another portion, with a splendid house for the head gardener.
Chesters Walled Garden, Chollerford, nr Hexham, Northumberland
Open 10 am - 5 pm every day of the week from March 20th to October 31st. Opening times from
November to mid March will depend on the weather and it is advisable to check by phone first. 01434
681483
An eighteenth century walled garden with remnants of heated wall system, redesigned by garden
writer Susie White over 21 years and planted in a naturalistic, free-flowing style. Organically run, the
extensive varieties of plants include three National Collections and borders full of wildflowers
interwoven with rare perennials in an ebullient and unaffected style. Open seven days a week.
http://www.walledgardens.net/search/www.chesterswalledgarden.co.ukwww.chesterswalledgarden.fs
net.co.uk
Clumber Park (NT),Worksop, Notts, S80 3AZ Tel:01909 476592
Walled gardens dating from the late 18
th century cover about 6 acres, with apple orchard of 58 local varieties, vegetables, herbs and herbaceous borders. Impressive range of glass 250ft (137m) long,
made up of twelve distinct glasshouses, including a central conservatory and Palm House, all in full
production.
Croxteth Hall and Country Park, Croxteth Hall Lane, Liverpool, L12 0HB. 0151 228 5312
Originally the kitchen gardens of the Earl of Sefton. Ancient trained fruit trees, peach houses,
mushroom house, frames and heated walls, display houses, organically grown fruit and vegetables
with occasional horticultural demonstrations.
Dukeries Garden Centre, Welbeck, Worksop, Nottinghamshire, S80 3KT. 01909 476506
Part of the garden centre occupies the glasshouses (now fully restored) by the well –known
manufacturer Messenger and part of the old 23 acre (9.3 hectare) kitchen garden at Welbeck Abbey.
There is a restaurant with pictures of the old kitchen garden, the rest of which is now a car park and a
paddock, though 180 year-old pear trees still adorn the walls.
Helmsley Walled Garden, Cleveland Way, Helmsley, North Yorkshire, Tel: 01439 771427
www.helmsleywalledgarden.co.uk 5 acre garden, dedicated to horticultural therapy and converted to various uses, including organic vegetable and fruit growing. The glasshouses are being restored for a
collection of Victorian vines.
Netherbyres, nr Berwick-upon-Tweed, Northumberland. 018907 50337
Elliptical walled garden with mix of fruit, flowers and vegetables.
Normanby Hall Country Park, Normanby, Scunthorpe, N.Lincs, CN15 9HU Tel:01724 720 588 Award winning garden restored to the late Victorian period. Modern replicas of the original peach
case, vinery and display house; organically grown Heritage collection, trials of old horticultural
techniques including hotbeds, restored back sheds with fruit stores, work rooms and a collection of old
tools.
http://www.northlincs.gov.uk/NorthLincs/Leisure/museums/normanbyhall/VictorianWalledGarden.ht
m
thNorton Conyers, Ripon, North Yorkshire, HG4 5EH. 01765 640333 century walled kitchen garden with orangery, heated wall, dipping pond (for filling watering cans)
and herbaceous borders, occasionally open to the public. 18
Tatton Park, (NT), Knutsford, Cheshire WA16 6QN. Tel:01625 534400
Walled gardens with heated walls and glasshouses, recently restored and the subject of a BBC
Gardener’s World special.
Scampston Hall, Malton, North Yorkshire. Tel:01944 759111 Privately owned, recently renovated (2004) 4? acre walled garden in a modern design by Piet Oudolf. Interesting to
visit for its an elegant, though non-productive, alternative use for an old kitchen garden.
Central England
Audley End, (E.H.) nr Saffron Walden, Essex, CB11 4JF. infoline:01799 522399. http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/server/show/nav.00100200800k00800a
Two walled gardens covering 8 acres, with a 1920s vinery range and back sheds comprising bothy,
potting sheds, toolsheds, and mushroom house. Period varieties fruit and vegetables of around 1900
are grown on organic principles in conjunction with HDRA.
Blenheim Palace, Woodstock, Oxfordshire, OX20 1PX. Infoline: 01993 602080
Butterflies and a herb garden occupy the glasshouses and frame yard. The Marlborough maze fills the
eastern end of the 8 acre (3.2 hectare) kitchen garden, but visitors can still marvel at the 14 foot (4.3
metre) bastioned kitchen walls, built by Vanbrugh and Wise in 1705 for the first Duke of
Marlborough.
Easton Walled Gardens, Grantham, Lincolnshire, ND33 4JP. Tel: 01476 530063
www.eastonwalledgardens.co.uk In process of restoration Folly Farm, Sulhamstead, Reading, Berks. Tel 01635 841541 Open only by appointment. Created
early 20
th c, by the Lutyens-Jekyll partnership, with organic veg and rainforest plants in the old
glasshouse.
Grey’s Court (NT), Rotherfield Greys, Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire, RG9 4PG. 01491 574917
Walled kitchen garden, icehouse, donkey wheel, well house.
Kelmarsh Hall, Kelmarsh, Northampton, Northants. Tel: 01604 686543
www.kelmarsh.com Unusually shaped triangular kitchen garden, with unusually sited vinery
(excellently restored)and potting shed in the centre. Parts of the open ground used for traditional veg
and flowers, the rest designed as a grassy maze.
Painswick Rococo Garden, Painswick, Glos. tel 01452 813204 www.rococogarden.co.uk Rare rococo kitchen garden, not strictly within walls, but a faithful
recreation from Thomas Robins' painting of 1748, with appropriate fruit and veg.
Rousham House, nr Steeple Aston, Biscester, Oxon. Tel: 01869 347110
www.rousham.org A truly pretty, well-tended, compartmentalised kitchen garden with dovecote,
vegetables, box-edged herbaceous borders and a rose-encircled dipping pond. It pre-dates the
surrounding gardens and landscape designed by William Kent in 1738. th century, working flued wall. Sandwell Park Farm, Salter’s Lane, West Bromwich, Birmingham, Tel: 0121 553 0220 Shugborough, Milford, nr Stafford, Staffs.(NT) Tel: 01889 881388 Restored one acre garden growing crops appropriate to the late 19www.shugborough.org.uk Kitchen garden in process of restoration, with elegant
gardener's house by Wyatt. Opening some time in 2006
Stratfield Saye, Reading, Berkshire, RG7 2BT. Tel:01256 882882.
Two large walled gardens constructed in the early 19th century for the Duke of Wellington. Camellia
house by Paxton. Fruit, vegetable and herbaceous borders.
East Anglia
Felbrigg Hall (NT), Norwich, Norfolk, NR11 8PR. Tel:01263 837444
Dovecote, vineries, herbaceous borders and fruit trees.
Gunby Hall (NT), nr Spilsby, Lincolnshire, PE23 5SS. Tel:01909 486411
Walled kitchen garden, herb garden, fruit and vegetables.
Helmingham Hall, nr Stowmarket, Suffolk, IP14 6EF. Tel:01473 890799
Ornamental kitchen garden. Herbaceous borders and tunnels of sweet peas, runner beans and gourds.
Holkham Hall, Wells-next-the-Sea, Norfolk. Tel 01328 710227/ 711636:
www.holkham.co.uk A nursery garden occupies the 18th-century, 6?-acre kitchen
garden, but numerous glasshouses, pit-houses and frames and a magnificent Wyatt
vinery remain intact.
Houghton Hall, Kings Lynn, Norfolk. Tel 01485 528569 www.houghtonhall.com
Old five-acre walled kitchen garden, translated into 21st century use with 20
different 'garden rooms' featuring temples, pools, parterres and sculpture as
well as orchards, vegetables, wall-fruit, glasshouses and a gigantic fruit cage.
Somerleyton Hall, nr Lowestoft, Suffolk, NR32 5QQ. Tel:0871 222 4244
Magnificent ornamental entrance to walled kitchen garden with peach cases designed by Paxton and
vineries with ridge and furrow rooves.
Thornham Walled Garden Project, Thornham Field Centre, Red House Yard, Thornham
Magna, Eye, Suffolk. Tel: 01379 788700 www.thornham.org.uk Newly restored for horticultural tuition and therapy, as well as plant sales; also
available for musical performances and exhibitions of sculpture and painting.
Welbeck Abbey, Welbeck, nr. Worksop, Notts. Tel 01909 500211: Possibly once the largest kitchen garden in Great Britain, the Dukeries Garden Centre and its car park occupy only a small part
of its 23 acres. The rest is now grass, though 180-year-old pear-trees still grow against the walls. The
magnificent range of Messenger glasshouses still stands too, and is now used as a sales area and
restaurant displaying photos of the place as it once was.
South of England
Beaulieu Abbey, Beaulieu, Hants. Tel 01590 614645 (National Motor Museum)
www.beaulieu.co.uk/beaulieupalace Perhaps the only kitchen garden that can be viewed from a
monorail, newly restored and laid out with a mixture of culinary and herbaceous plants. Old vinery by
Rendell & Co.
Bramdean House,Bramdean, Alresford, Hants. Tel 01962 771214. Fine gardens, of which the walled kitchen and ornamental flower garden forms an integral part. See NGS book for open days
Godinton House, Godinton Lane, Ashford, Kent. www.godinton-house-gardens.co.uk
Kitchen garden forms part of Reginald Blomfield's 1902 design for the rest of the gardens, and
incorporates twin oast houses, a gardener's cottage, Victorian glasshouses and pretty, wooden, latticed
entrance gates.
Gravetye Manor Hotel, off Vowel’s Lane, nr East Grinstead, West Sussex, RH19 4LJ
Tel: 01342 810567
William Robinson’s house, now a hotel, is supplied with produce from the oval kitchen garden
Houghton Lodge, Stockbridge, Hants. Tel 012064 810912/810502:
www.houghtonlodge.co.uk An organic kitchen garden, with cob walls and glasshouses by Messenger
containing orchids and a modern hydroponicum.
North Court Gardens, Shorwell, Isle of Wight. 01983 740415 (Bed & Breakfast)
Traditional walled kitchen garden with ancient espaliered fruit trees, occasionally open to the public.
http://www.northcourt.info/
Oare House, Pewsey, Wiltshire. (see National Garden Scheme)
Traditional walled kitchen garden, occasionally open to the public.
Osborne House, East Cowes, Isle of Wight. Tel 01983 200022 (EH)
www.english-heritage.org.uk Queen Victoria's holiday home; walled garden not designed for culinary
use, but solely for cut flowers. However, the 1850s glasshouses by Henry Hope are of great interest.
Garden recently laid out to plans by Rupert Bowlby.
Pythouse Walled Kitchen Garden, Nr Tisbury, Wilts Tel: 0845 2413679 www.pythouse-farm.co.uk A fully productive 18
th century walled garden, with a café and shop open every day, except Tuesday, from 8.30am to 5.30pm. The shop also sells their organic meat from the
farm. The garden and café are available to hire for functions. Off the A350, follow the brown signs
from Semley.
St. Mary's House, Bramber, nr. Steyning, W. Sussex. Tel 01903 816205: www.stmarysbramber.co.uk Victorian kitchen garden with rural museum in potting
shed, pine-pits and rose garden in memory of the Queen Mother.
Stansted Park Victorian Walled Garden, Rowlands Castle, Hants. Tel 023 9241 3090 Actually a garden centre and sculpture collection, but it still has its old glasshouses.
The Walled Garden, (Room in the Garden), Cowdray Park, Midhurst, W. Sussex.
Tel:01730 816 881 www.roominthegarden.co.uk As this kitchen garden is adjacent to
Cowdray's ruined medieval mansion, it doubles as a reconstructed Tudor garden
and a show place for the rusted iron artefacts, arbours, trellises and plant
supports made by the local company 'Room in the Garden'.
West Dean Gardens, West Dean, Chichester, Sussex, PO18 0QZ. Tel:01243 811301/818210
Edwardian kitchen garden with thirteen fully stocked period glasshouses and plant houses, frames and
pits. Fruit house, herbaceous borders, zig-zag fruit wall, Heritage fruit and vegetable collections, tool
and mower collections. www.westdean.org.uk/site/gardens/
Wales
A useful booklet is the ‘Guide to the Historic Parks and Gardens of Wales’ of gardens to visit, many
with walled kitchen gardens, available from the Welsh Historic Gardens Trust: 01970 832 268
or email historicgardenswales@hotmail.com
The following are mostly privately owned gardens, please ring to make an appointment
thth/17 century garden, which has 3 small walled Aberglasney, Llangathen, Carmarthenshire, open daily 01558 668998 www.aberglasney.org gardens planted with rare and unusual plants. A major restoration project has restored this 16
Bodysgallen Hall, Llandudno, Conwy. Contact: Matthew Johnson Tel. 01492 584466. E-mail:
info@bodysgallen.u-net.com. Open to hotel guests, or ‘by special appointment’. Smart hotel, parts of
thwhich date back to 17 Century. Walled kitchen garden with espaliered fruit trees. The house forms a
spectacular back-drop.
Bryn Eisteddford, Glan Conwy, Conwy. Contact: Dr. Michael Senior. Tel. 01492 581175. Donation
thof a few pounds. Walled gardens run-down but charming; one section contains 19 century vinery,
peach & nectarine houses (all in need of repair). Earlier walled ornamental/herb/knot garden next to
the house has some fine, ancient specimens of mulberry & medlar.
Gwaenynog Hall, nr Denbigh, LL16 5NU, Mrs Janie Smith 01745 812066
The park and garden used to belong to Beatrix Potter’s uncle and the walled garden there is thought to
be the inspiration for the kitchen garden in The Tale of the Flopsy Bunnies. Charming garden recreated as closely as possible to its original layout, mostly flowers with some vegetables and
espaliered fruit trees.
Llanerchaeron (NT), nr Aberaeron, Dyfed, SA48 8DG. 01545 570200
A rare example of a surviving Welsh gentry estate, with an extensive range of 19th century farm and
horticultural buildings. The two walled gardens are cultivated organically and show the evolution of thgarden technology from the early 19 century to the present day.
Hotel Maes-y-Neuadd, Talsarnau, Gynedd, Wales, LL47 6YA
thTwo slate-walled kitchen gardens that provide fresh fruit and vegetables for the Hotel. Century-style’ working kitchen garden. Attractive, if not historically accurate. Nanhoron, Near Pwlheli, Gwynedd. Mrs. B.C.L. Harden. Tel. 01758 730610 ?3.00 E-mail: bettina.harden@farming.co.uk. (8 miles from Pwlheli, off B4113) National Botanic Garden of Wales, Middleton Hall, Llanarthne, Carmarthenshire Two walled gardens: one ornamental, one a ‘19Tel: 01558 668768 www.gardenofwales.org.uk open all year round
thUnusual early 19 century double-walled garden, recently restored.
The Walled Garden at Pigeonsford, Nr Llangrannog, Llandysul, Ceredigion SA44 6AF
Tel:01239 654360
thEarly 19 century walled garden, with 1920’s summerhouse and specialist plant nursery. Slate walls with brick lining on the South wall. Open April to October Wed to Sat