Want to know more about our organic values?
The garden has been managed fully organically since 2002, reviving traditional horticultural methods as well as embracing modern techniques and technology.
Organic gardening means that manufactured fertilisers and synthetic chemicals are not used. Rather than eliminating pests and diseases the gardening team aim to maintain a natural balance, only using biological and physical controls when necessary.
Each year we also pack sheep fleece around the base of our young fruit trees which acts as a fantastic organic mulch. Not only does it suppress the weed growth and help the soil to retain moisture, but slowly releases nutrients directly to the tree roots as the fleece decays. Not to mention the birds, mice and bumble-bees enjoy the opportunity of collecting luxurious bedding for their nests.
While the spring and summer flowering meadows are in bloom in the fruit orchard, each year we install local bee hives to help with natural pollination. Apart from doing an essential job, the bees produce a beautifully flavoured honey. Each year the flavour can vary due to the mixed variety of plants in bloom at one time.
We are gaining status as a leading organic garden. We are now delivering ‘Green Gardening Workshops’ for other National Trust staff and are often asked to contribute to media and national research regarding our chemical free practices. This includes our much talked about ‘four bay composting system’ which creates well-rotted fertiliser and soil conditioner out of a mix of garden and kitchen waste.
