Heritage and Harvest: The Kitchen Gardens of Blenheim Palace, Mount Stuart, and Doddington Hall
The once flourishing Kitchen Garden at Blenheim Palace fell into disrepair after WW2. In Spring last year, it was restored to its former glory by Worthy Earth. This group take a 'no-dig' approach, placing soil on top of the earth as not to deplete its nutrients.
This garden once provided fresh produce for the grand estate, employing around fourteen veg growers. Today, with a team of just three, it grows seasonal fruits, vegetables, and herbs that supply the palace’s restaurants. Surplus from the garden suply veg boxes for the staff at Blenheim. The garden is also a hub for educational initiatives, demonstrating to visitors the importance of local, seasonal food in a sustainable future.
Tune into the Hidden Heritage Podcast to find out more about Harrison Fannon, the Founder of Worth Earth.
At Mount Stuart House on the Isle of Bute, the kitchen garden is a part of the estate’s grand Victorian landscape. First laid out in 1820, it was redesigned in the 1990s by notable garden designer Rosemary Verey, OBE VHM.
The garden now offers a rich variety of fruits, herbs, and vegetables that mirror historical growing techniques. The garden is known for its productive orchards and vibrant flower beds, blending aesthetic appeal with practical function. It continues to supply the house and local community, supporting the estate’s focus on biodiversity and organic cultivation.
Did you know the Scottish term for Kitchen Garden is "kailyaird"?
Doddington Hall in Lincolnshire boasts a celebrated walled kitchen garden, with a heritage dating back to the Elizabethan period. This historic space has been meticulously preserved and modernized, now growing a wide range of fruits and vegetables.
Its produce is used in the estate’s café and farm shop, connecting visitors with the hall’s agricultural legacy. Doddington’s garden is a centerpiece of the estate, reflecting its long history while embracing current trends in local food production.
Each of these kitchen gardens serves as a living testament to the enduring connection between grand estates and self-sufficient, sustainable food cultivation.
