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The Walled Garden
Lesley Lewis, owner of The George’s for 22 years,
purchased the three acre Walled Garden on the Penty Parc
Estate, Walton East in 2007. The garden was is a state
of disrepair, even dereliction, at this time. Restoring
the walls and returning the garden to productivity will
be a lifetime’s work, but Lesley and The George’s
team have shown tremendous energy and enthusiasm in starting
this task.
The restoration project is a natural adjunct to The George’s
trading ethos. The garden will be restored sympathetically
with wildlife and the natural environment major considerations.
The productive areas are organic and supply local produce
with few road miles to The George’s kitchens. This
is a labour of love and a confirmation of all that The
George’s team values in ethical and sensitive trading
practices.
The story so far:
• Large areas of the walls have been repaired by
a local stonemason – there remains a tiny bit of
touching up to do when the swallows quit their nests!
• The ruins of the gardener’s cottage by
the East wall have been restored as a small energy efficient
dwelling for Lesley herself.
• Five beehives and a bee keepers’ shed
have been added and the first garden honey is now on sale.
Wild flower banks and careful planting provide plentiful
food sources for our busy bees.
• The greenhouse is fully operational and has
contributed tomatoes, cucumbers and assorted leaves to
the kitchens.
• The strawberry beds are in their second year
of production – sadly no jam but several very fat
squirrels!
• Our vegetable beds are currently producing an
organic supply for the kitchens – we have much to
learn but are pleased with our first season.
• An orchard is established with assorted berry
crops this year and a promise of larger fruits in the
future. We have completed the first steps to espalier
our cherries and other fruits against the South wall:
we were a bit hesitant but the trees look like the book
advised so fingers crossed for the future.
Did we do all that? Looking back, we realise just how
much has happened in the last four years.
Our plans for this autumn include transforming the ruins
of the original greenhouse into raised beds for asparagus
and salad leaves and experimenting with our production
of micro-greens for our healthy options menus. The Victorian
dipping pool may have to wait for another year but one
day…
The heavy preparation work that underlies all this is
no longer evident, as the garden settles back into quiet
productive life. Much of the garden remains natural parkland,
husbanded to promote wildlife and habitat bio-diversity:
a pleasant place to rest from our gardening efforts and
reflect upon our relationship with the land and our place
in it.
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