Originally a working mill and factory site; the gardens opened in 2013, designed as an ornamental food garden with small plots of cereals grown with vegetables plus ornamentals planted to give a constant display of colour which attract bees & butterflies. A small orchard includes Apples and Pears, the fruit cage produces Currants and various berries.
Bedfordshire has a long history of Market Gardening and much of we do is linked to this heritage. Cereals are sown in autumn and spring, we don’t grow enough here to use them but the small plots are a great way to see how they all grow, this year we have sourced Barley seed from Italy and other organic varieties from the UK.
A wide range of vegetables are all produced on site from seed. Sowing starts in late January to have the beds planted by mid May, different rotations and successional sowing mean as something is harvested we have a new crop waiting to go in so there is always plenty to see.
No chemicals are used on our plants and much of what we grow is lifted fresh and available for sale next to the shop.
Watching the gardens change over the seasons is very rewarding, in just a few months beds that were dug over in winter are starting to fill with plants and seedlings, empty beds we cut back last year are bursting into colour. As the days get longer and warmer all this work attracts an amazing variety of wildlife.
The RHS website has some great ideas to get involved, the smallest garden can be a colourful place to grow your own tasty vegetables, and bring nature closer to home.
https://www.rhs.org.uk/get-involved