Kitchen Garden Notes - The Alnwick Garden

Bee on an Echinacea flower

A trip to Northumberland would not be complete without a visit to The Alnwick Garden. We decided to go on a Thursday as it is also market day in Alnwick and we were pleased to be able to buy some local carrots and potatoes for dinner that night. The Alnwick Garden was part of the estate of the Duke of Northumberland but is now in the hands of a charitable trust. It's next to the ancestral seat of Alnwick Castle but we opted out of going in as some of the state rooms were closed as Downton Abbey was being filmed in them.

Crab apple Malus 'Red Sentinel'

There have been gardens in the grounds of Alnwick Castle since the 1750s when the 1^st Duke of Northumberland enlisted the services of Capability Brown to create a garden for him. Successive Dukes made their mark on the garden and made it more and more grander and ornate. However, the need to 'Dig for victory' during the Second World War meant it was ripped up and used for food production instead. After the war the garden was no longer needed and was left unloved. Enter Jane, Duchess of Northumberland and wife of the 12^th Duke.

Late fruiting strawberry 'Ostara'

By 1997 the site had traces of the original garden still remaining but was wild and without focus. Its days of grandeur long gone. The Duchess started to embark on the most ambitious garden design of the 20^th Century. It reopened to the public in October 2001 still as a work in progress. The final phrase is due to be completed next year.

Inside the Medlar Mespilus germanica tree

I've been to the Alnwick Garden before in late May and June when the Rose Garden was in full bloom and has been the star attraction. For all year round interest you need to head up to the Ornamental Garden. The walls and wrought ironwork are original but the planting inside is very new.

Crab apple Malus 'Butterball'

There's plenty of colour in the flowers still in August. Overhead there are crab apple trellises. In fact there are different varieties of crab apples everywhere whether in rows or separate trees. That's some jelly waiting to be made in a couple of months time!

Blueberry 'Goldtraube'

Some of the soft fruit has gone now such as the white currants and gooseberries. There's still plenty to come with late ripening strawberries, raspberries and blueberries. Looking around you sense there's one thing missing from this garden which you would expect in a walled garden – vegetables. For the veggies you need to head down the garden and out of the main part of it to the Roots and Shoots Garden.

Dig for Victory

I've never been in the Roots and Shoots Garden. I don't know if this is because it wasn't previously open to the public or I simply missed it. I nearly didn't get to see it this time either as I only spotted it on the map just as it was closing but a kindly gardener let me rush around.

Flowers and herbs planted together

It is set up as a teaching garden for children and adults. This was the site of an original kitchen garden. It's a great time to visit as the garden is bursting with produce. If you are tempted to take some home there is a sale shelf with money going into the donations box. We relived them of a very large marrow.

Apples and nasturtiums

Everything looks amazing in the garden at the moment – so green and healthy. Vegetables are planted next to each other and in companion with herbs and flowers. There are more apples in here but of the eating variety. They are planted along walls and in tubs overflowing with nasturtiums. If you've ever wanted some inspiration to start growing your own fruit and vegetables this is the place to come.

Sweetcorn and parsley

The Alnwick Garden is a huge site and this is just a snippet of what you can find in it. Many of the areas are thought out with children and families in mind with bamboo mazes and water fountains complete with mini diggers. If you want to escape the busy areas head out to the Woodland Walk but whatever you do don't miss out on a visit to the Alnwick Garden.

Pumpkin and sunflowers