Get your five a day at Beningbrough in September

Beningbrough Hall’s one-and-a-half-acre Victorian walled garden was one of the first kitchen gardens to be renovated by the National Trust back in 1995.

With its myriad of fruit, vegetable, salad, herbs and less common plants like liquorice, grapes and figs, it’s a great place to witness the ‘plot to plate’ revolution as so much of what is grown here goes into the menu in the restaurant.

An apple a day

Ahead of apple celebration week starting on October 1, we salute the humble, yet mighty apple.

There are more than 50 varieties at Beningbrough. From the unusually shaped Dog’s Snout which is peculiar to Yorkshire, to the more common but delicious Cox’s Orange Pippin, there’s enough fruit in the Walled Garden for your five a day.

Join the team from October 1-8 (closed Monday 2nd) to enjoy short talks, have a go at apple pressing and sample some juice, cider and chutney.

Younger members of your group can tick off one of the 50 things to do before you’re 11¾ and help us pick an apple straight from the tree.

The Victorian Pear Arch

The beautiful pear arch welcomes you as you arrive into Beningbrough’s walled garden and here, as well as around the edge of the garden, you’ll find trees bursting with delicious, juicy pears. Crumbles aren’t just reserved for apples.

Beningbrough beetroots

Health food titan, the beetroot much lauded for the benefits they bring, are grown aplenty at Beningbrough, with many shapes, sizes and colours. Why not bake a frosted spiced beetroot cake?

A twist on a passion fruit cake, this version contains grated beetroot and walnuts topped with a caramel frosting. Granted, an alternative way of getting your five a day, but sounds delicious!

Grapes

Two of 19th century’s most popular grape varieties can be found in the glasshouse at Beningbrough, Lady Downe’s Seedling and Foster’s seedling.

Thomas Foster was a well-known horticulturalist at the time and head gardener during the Dawnay era. Lady Downe’s seedling is one of the finest late-keeping glasshouse grape.

Today, due to their unpopular pips, they mostly go into the apple press to enhance the sweetness of the juice.

Pumpkins

Well, we’re approaching October and we couldn’t go without mentioning the pumpkin, which shouldn’t just be for Halloween. It’s a much unsung hero from the squash family. Add it to your soup, pie, risotto or curry.

For the world champion of pumpkins, look out for the Atlantic Giant in the corner of the garden. You can’t miss it!