Stroll in Attingham's Walled Garden

A gardner pushing a wheelbarrow in the Walled Garden at Attingham Park — Summer in the Walled Garden at Attingham Park

Things might look slightly different to normal, but you can still potter around our lovingly restored walled garden which is open from 9am as part of a pre-booked visit. Over the past decade we've been bringing this important part of the estate back to life, and production. Originally created in the 1780s; after falling into disrepair, and having different uses in the 20th century, this Georgian kitchen garden is both beautiful and bountiful today.

Since the 1990s we've been planning and working on the restoration of Attingham's Walled Garden and Orchard. From flowers in the Mansion to the produce usually being used in recipes in the Cafe and Tearoom, it now, once again supplies the estate all year round. You can even take a little bit of the Walled Garden back home with you as we sell freshly harvested produce in the Stables Shop.

Admire the blooms in the borders and chat to the team about their tasks as they work. Our team of gardeners are happy to talk to you about the history of the Walled Garden and tell you more about our current garden projects.

The Melon House in the Walled Garden at Attingham, Shrewsbury — The sun shining down on the Melon House in the Walled Garden at Attingham.

Attingham's Walled Garden Glasshouses appeal

Melons? Grown in Shropshire? Are you sure? Find out how you can help save the features of Attingham's Walled Garden for future generations.

Help us to keep 'growing' the Walled Garden

A view of the Glass Houses and Bothy inside the Walled Garden — The glasshouses in the Walled Garden frameyard at Attingham.

A garden for all seasons

Spring

Spring is an important time of year in the garden as it’s when we start seeds off early in the glasshouses. We prepare the vegetable beds for planting and sow annual cut flowers for our raised hazel beds. As the weather warms, we transplant seedlings into the main garden, constantly weeding as everything starts to grow. In Spring 2020 we had to significantly reduce the amount of vegetables we could produce due to the number of gardeners and volunteer teams able to work in the Walled Garden at Attingham.

Small plant pots sit inside a glass house at Attingham. Seeds have been planted in the pot in preparation for next year — Throughout winter, the Walled Garden prepares for the following year

Summer

The main task during the summer is usually to harvest our produce to use in the cafe and shop. We need to water the salad crops in the glasshouses (melons, tomatoes, cucumbers, aubergines and chillies), as well as pruning our various fruit trees. Of course, the grass also needs constant mowing and edging. In 2020 it's taking us time to catch up with all these jobs.

A short stroll will lead you to Attingham's Walled Garden and Orchard — Summer in the Walled Garden at Attingham Park

Autumn

September, October and November usually see the continuing harvesting of our produce for the cafe and shop. We also begin clearing the main vegetable and frameyard beds as plants die back. The orchard needs harvesting, as 37 varieties of apple require picking, pressing and juicing.

Winter

Towards the end of the year we start digging new beds ready for the following year. We replenish the soil in our glasshouse beds and prune the apple trees in the orchard. Pots need cleaning, labels need sorting and seeds have to be ordered as we prepare for the coming spring, and our yearly cycle starts over again.

Step into the Bothy

Historically the home of the unmarried gardeners, step into the Bothy and discover more about the Walled Garden's restoration. On cooler days you'll find a roaring fire warming this cosy space.

The Bothy in the Walled Garden at Attingham Park, Shropshire — The Bothy in the Walled Garden at Attingham Park

Take a taste of the Walled Garden home

Our seasonal fresh produce is on sale in our shop for you to enjoy at home but please be aware that in 2020 due to Covid-19, our gardening team was much reduced along with the amount of fruit and vegetables that we could grow. Usually the Carriage House Café is also supplied with fruit and vegetables from the Walled Garden to use in seasonal recipes– but during 2020 we have had to reduce our food offer, limiting what we can use from the garden.

A volunteer washing a handful of asparagus under a hose in the Walled Garden — Throughout the year gardeners grow and harvest produce in the Walled Garden.

Marking 10 years of restoration in the Walled Garden

Work on restoring the Walled Garden as a production garden began in 2008. Find out more about the work we've done so far, and what we're working on next.