Guy’s Cliffe Walled Garden Trust      :       Email: trustees@guyscliffewalledgarden.org.uk

Planting

Our project aims to restore the garden to its Georgian origins and the planting plan reflects this. It is our intention to grow only types of fruit, vegetables and flowers that were known in Bertie Greatheed’s lifetime (ie up to 1826) since Bertie was the driving force behind the development of the garden as we see it today. In one of our beds, aptly being called “Bertie’s Bed”, we will grow only types and specific varieties that Bertie would have known about.  


Bertie Greatheed’s diary for 1806 shows us his planting plan for espalier fruit trees along the central path, added to in 1811 by some planting along the eastern path.  His diaries over the years contain various references to what fruits and vegetables were being grown in the garden.  


Later newspaper reports on prizes won by the Guy’s Cliffe gardeners at local horticultural shows also give us lots of information on what was being grown in the garden.  


So far we have little specific detail of actual planting layouts but we are continuing our research.  In the meantime there is a wealth of information from other contemporary sources that helps us with our own planting plans.


Originally, crops would have been rotated between the beds so that each year one bed might contain root vegetables, one brassicas, one legumes and one salads & perennials. However, we have decided to rotate crops within the beds so that each bed will have a variety of produce growing at any given time, together with some fallow areas waiting their turn.

 

In preparing our plans, we have decided to create small planting plots within each bed and provide space for creative displays and points of interest.



Back to top Next page