The PLANTS project: Top 5 edible plants at Kellie Castle

Walled gardens have long been a popular feature of large estates growing produce. The protection and warmth that a walled garden provides results in a longer growing period. Louise Lorimer described the state of the garden when they first arrived: ‘The Garden still enclosed by a tumble-down wall, was a wilderness of neglected gooseberry bushes, gnarled apples and old world roses, which struggled through the weeds.’

The Lorimers quickly got to work restoring and redesigning the garden to its productive former glory, and by the summer of 1889 they were successfully growing peas, potatoes and strawberries. The property stayed with the Lorimer family until the sculptor Hew Lorimer sold it to the National Trust for Scotland in 1970. Today, under the care of Head Gardener Mark Armour, the gardeners continue to grow edible produce as well as focus on organic gardening – everything grown at Kellie Castle Garden is fully organic. The principle of organic gardening is nourishing the plants by taking care of the soil first and foremost. This means using organic material as a natural fertiliser rather than processed fertilisers or chemicals.

The PLANTS project focuses on surveying perennial plant collections, which often do not include vegetables. However, kitchen gardens are an important part of the history of many National Trust for Scotland gardens. Once upon a time, large houses like these would have relied on productive walled gardens, with numerous gardeners working all year round, to sustain the household. Therefore, we have chosen 5 of our favourite edible perennial plants that we came across at Kellie Castle Garden.

Good King Henry

(Blitum bonus-henricus)

This crop has been part of the British diet since Anglo-Saxon times and was popular in Tudor kitchen gardens. The common name comes from the German ‘Guter Heinrich’ (Good Henry) to distinguish it from ‘Böser Heinrich’ (Bad Henry), a name for the poisonous plant Mercurialis perennis. This plant can be cooked in a variety of ways, including steamed, boiled, sautéed or added to soups and stews. It also produces small, green flower buds that can be pickled and used as a garnish or added to salads, much like capers.

Cardoon

(Cynara cardunculus)

Cardoons are often overlooked by their more popular cultivated relative – the artichoke (Cynara cardunculus var. scolymus) – but the buds can be harvested before the flowers open and eaten in the same way you would eat artichokes. The stems can also be blanched and eaten, popular in Mediterranean cooking. And even if you are not a culinary fan of cardoons, these architectural plants add a striking element to any garden border.

Worcesterberry

(Ribes divaricatum)

If you were to imagine a gooseberry crossed with a blackcurrant you would probably envisage something very similar to a worcesterberry. They are often mistaken as a hybrid of the two but are actually native to North America. They grow smooth-skinned fruits that turn dark red as they ripen. Worcesterberries are best harvested in late summer so are a good option to fill the gap between summer-fruiting plants like raspberries and strawberries, and autumn fruits such as apples. Moreover, these hardy shrubs will tolerate even the wildest of Scotland’s weather.

Rhubarb

(Rheum × hybridum)

Rhubarb is a popular plant, with the stalks used in puddings, jams and jellies. The north-facing wall in the garden at Kellie is the perfect frost pocket for rhubarb, which helps trigger new growth in the spring. There are a surprising number of rhubarb cultivars and at Kellie Castle Garden we surveyed over 24 different types. These included familiar favourites such as ‘Victoria’ and ‘Early Champagne’ to the more unusual local cultivars such as ‘Fife Green Jam’ and ‘Kellie Castle’.

Hops

(Humulus lupulus)

Hops are the home brewer’s climber of choice. Humulus lupulus is dioecious, which means the female and male flowers grow on separate plants. The male of the species produces a white inflorescence, and the female plant produces flower cones, otherwise known as hops. And even if you don’t like beer, this climber is an attractive plant to grow. In fact, the main bedroom in Kellie Castle is referred to as the ‘Vine Room’ because the plasterwork is reminiscent of hop vines – perhaps a suitable choice for a bedroom designed during a time when hop’s sedative qualities were thought to promote a good night’s sleep.

There are many more delicious plants grown at Kellie Castle Garden, where the produce is sold via an honesty box in the summer house. Pop along to sample the selection.

Plant Listing at the National Trust for Scotland (PLANTS) is the biggest horticultural audit project undertaken by the Trust and aims to celebrate, protect and better understand the flora and vegetation across our gardens and designed landscapes.

Read more about the PLANTS project