Last chance to see the gardens before change (From Richmond and Twickenham Times)

Last chance to see the gardens before change

4:02pm Tuesday 26th August 2008 in Search By Joanna Kilvington

There is only one chance left this year for the public to visit Chiswick House Kitchen Gardens before its regeneration programme gets under way.

The make-over for the garden will include an orchard being planted in the northern garden, heritage fruit trees planted along a central path that will be laid down the northern and southern gardens, and the repairing of walls where all fruit trees will be grown.

The open day on September 21 will also be the last opportunity to experience the magic trails around the kitchen garden forest which, under the new plans, will be cleared for future planting.

During the open day visitors will be able to inspect the late summer colour in the cutting bed, an extensive collection of different types of pumpkins and squashes and all the other fruit, vegetables and herbs growing at this harvest festival season.

Volunteers at the kitchen garden are also keeping their fingers crossed that the temporary polytunnel will be brimming with peppers, melons and aubergines to show off to members of the public.

Karen Liebreich, project co-ordinator and founder of the project said: "This will be the very last chance to see the old-style, roughand- ready kitchen garden as a member of the viewing public, without getting your hands dirty helping to garden it."

Chiswick House Kitchen Garden project was created in November 2005 with the aim of preserving the walled gardens in the grounds of Chiswick House for the benefit of the public.

And to conserve the kitchen garden as a site of historical importance and interest.

The open day will run from 1pm to 5pm. Surplus plants and produce and local honey will also be on sale during the day.

An article on the garden and the project, which became a registered charity last month, will feature in the September issue of the Garden Magazine.