Opening of Thoresby's Walled Garden

About

Garden Opening Times - 10am – 4pm
Spring- 
Thursdays & Sundays from 6th May -17th June

Summer- 
Thursdays & Sundays from 22nd July – 27th August

Bank Holidays- 
Monday 7th May & Monday 27th August

A tour and talk-
‘A potted history of Thoresby Walled Garden’ is available for group bookings.  £3 per Adult | Children Free

If you are interested in being part of our historic restoration of the Walled Garden, either in the form of works or a future use within the garden then please contact Ben Perry on 01623 822301 or ben.perry@thoresby.com.

Hidden within the grounds of Thoresby Estate is the Kitchen Garden, more widely known as the Walled Garden, built in 1760 it was once a centre of activity.

Full of staff bustling around looking after the produce and fauna, it has been described that the Garden housed pears, plums, cherries, gooseberries, red currants, cabbages, cauliflowers, beets, cucumbers, strawberries, melons, figs, grapes, peaches, apricots just to name a few. The Head Gardener was required to deliver fresh fruit, vegetables and cut flowers every day to the family who resided at Thoresby.
 

Thoresby was at the cutting edge with their gardening techniques, one of the glasshouses which was built with a hot rear wall, helped to grow and extend the season of the soft fruit, thus helping to create the Thoresby pineapple!

During the 1900’s it was decided that the Kitchen Garden should be abandoned as an economy measure and the park became occupied by the military. Once the wars were over, the garden began being used as a secure area for the rearing of pheasants under the strict eye of the Head Gardener.

To date parts of the garden are being sectioned off, some have been let out to the Echium World who will be growing plants which originated in the garden along with their record breaking Echiums. Other parts of the garden needs some attention as parts of past foundations have been found and require delicately unearthing. Thoresby hopes to restore the Walled Garden to it’s former breathtaking glory within the near future.

Opening of the 'Echium Garden'

Occupying a corner of the walled kitchen garden, the Echium Garden provides visitors with an amazing gardening experience. Mixing the new with the old, visitors can view the National Collection of Echium, exotic plants natives of the Canary Islands and Madeira including the Giant Tree Echium growing to over 15 feet tall along with many other plant varieties displayed in mixed herbaceous borders.

The garden is a photographer’s paradise as it comes alive with bees and other pollinating insects, lizards and the Hummingbird Hawk moth. Visitors will receive a friendly welcome from RHS Silver medal winners Linda & Ray Heywood from Echium World, who are eager to share their knowledge and passion for Echium plants, the history and current renovation of the walled garden and all things gardening and plant sales.