This year we celebrated ten years of ownership by the Copped Hall Trust of the Walled Garden, and we held an anniversary party in the garden in July (see photo above) - a party that would not have been possible ten years ago when the ground was covered in nettles and brambles and you could scarcely see the pond!

We have particularly seen many improvements in the past year, with more vegetable beds being dug and one of the paths put back to its original depth. It has been a wonderful year for vegetables and we are now producing good crops of wellknown varieties and also lesser known heritage ones. Part of our new expansion has been selling packets of heritage variety seeds from Thomas Etty with Copped Hall Walled Garden on the packets. Being able to grow some of these brings back the history into the garden as they are the types that would have been grown during the period that the garden has been under cultivation.

Restoration has started on the second greenhouse and the stove house has been under full cultivation this year with melons, cucumbers, peppers, tomatoes and aubergines.

We would like to restore another path next year and hope to tidy up one of the borders in the winter to define a further path. This year has also seen the repair of the wall at the top of the garden, thanks mainly to the Trust with a donation from the Walled Garden - we make money selling produce and now have something to offer most of the year.

Despite the fact that lots more of the grass has been removed, our mowing team still manages to keep the garden looking good and the heritage orchard that was planted some time ago is beginning to come into its own with the trees putting on good growth and bearing a small amount of fruit. Everyone who works in the garden contributes something to an area that definitely has the wow factor when you enter it.

We had record sales of produce at the August Open Day, but in order to keep this going we do need a continuous flow of volunteers. So if you are attracted to the idea of helping out - which can mean a little light weeding or something more serious! – please get in touch with me.

Pat Styles