In the beginning…

In one of yesterday afternoon’s sunny intervals, an opportunity to re-visit the walled garden with my camera. By chance, there was Pat by the exterior borders pulling slugs off plants and transporting them to the adjacent meadows. It was only then, chatting with Pat, that I learned the story of the planting of the herb beds.

About 10 years ago, the renovation of the Walled Garden was in its early stages.

Pat and Mary had studied old OS maps and books on monastic herb gardens.

With a seed catalogue and the reference materials they planned their spending. They had £15. That’s £15. Not from the public purse. But £15 raised by the Friends of Chadkirk and allocated to the planting of the herb beds.

I’m not sure how many packets of seeds that would have bought then.
However I am sure that if you wanted to get a project like this to succeed it would be hard to find a more resourceful and determined pair. Seeds were germinated at home in their own gardens, seedlings planted out by Friends on the gardening days and then watered and tended. With all that TLC and expertise, over the next few years the beds filled up.

That story continues today as Pat, Mary and the team of volunteers, ably supported by Alan and John, tend and stock the herb beds.

Coming into the Walled Garden on a day when the sun shines and the air is still and damp, the aromatic oils of the lavender can be sensed from 3 metres away. Knowing the story behind the herb beds can be just as uplifting, just as heart warming. Metaphorically, another cordial herb.