“Dig for Victory”Garden, Orchard & Grounds

Since our last posting regarding works to the gardens etc we have completed our “Dig for Victory” garden which includes a renovated Anderson shelter salvaged from on the site. The idea is to recreate a back garden scene typical of many homes during WW2 combining the shelter with a garden growing largely edible produce.

The nearby orchard has been rescued from years of being overtaken by brambles, nettles and general neglect and now forms a shady seating area where, in the warmer months, visitors will be encouraged to sit out and picnic if they wish. We obtained bumper crops of apples, pears and plums in 2022.

On the site we discovered a filled in emergency water storage reservoir. The upper walls of this are now exposed to retain this feature but with a neat lawned area enclosed within them.

The grounds generally have been cleared, prepared and seeded and the hard work has really paid off. The transformation from the initial tangle of undergrowth to neatly manicured lawns has to be seen to be believed, hopefully the photographs of this work give you some idea of the task undertaken.