The old Drying Green where maids once hung out the Wentworth Woodhouse laundry has been transformed into a flourishing growing garden.
Hardworking garden volunteers and local community groups have spent the last eight months transforming the neglected space for Wentworth Woodhouse to grow its very own produce. Summer crops including tomatoes, cucumbers, sweetcorn and a variety of herbs will be making their way onto plates in the Butler’s Pantry Café and The Camellia House restaurant.
The Drying Green, a walled area tucked behind the East Front’s North Tower, was used for hanging bedlinen out to dry and would have been used on every fine day for centuries.
The Trust decided to turn it into a garden where it could grow its own produce and eventually stage horticultural workshops for local community groups and schools, and secured initial funding from the National Lottery Heritage Fund.
“It couldn’t have been done without hundreds of hours from our volunteers, though,” said the Trust’s Assistant Gardener Helen Kelly.
“Members from our regular Monday to Thursday garden groups came forward to from the Poly Force Team. One of them, Steve Woodhouse, stepped up to lead the project and worked on the planning and design with me and our garden assistant Liam Coleman.”
Community groups hacked back knee-high weeds and grass, rotovated and levelled the earth. The Poly Force gang built two huge polytunnels, one which doubles as a classroom, and created raised beds and wheelchair-friendly paths.
Said Helen: “In spring we secured a small amount of money to buy vegetable seedlings and thanks to generous discounts from Horsfields Nursery in Silkstone, B&Q at Cortonwood and Dobbies Garden Centre at Shelley, our money went a long way.
“We began a planting programme, our summer crops are in full-swing, we’ve got lots to come in the autumn and now we want to start growing from seed.”
“We’re looking forward to teaching people how to grow their own food, which is rewarding in so many ways. It provides families with fresh and healthy food, helps with their finances and is really good for health and wellbeing.
“Research has proven that gardening can reduce symptoms of depression, stress and anxiety and increase positivity.
“We want this to be a welcoming, peaceful place where people can develop their friendship groups as well as their gardening skills.”
The gardening team’s ultimate aim is to provide more home-grown produce to supply the Trust’s catering department and reduce air miles, and create workshops, gardening classes and more opportunities for volunteering.
Added Helen Kelly: “We now have around 70 gardening volunteers and with over 50 acres of gardens to tend, we are planning to expand the team even further in the New Year.”