Spectacular historic kitchen garden opening to the public

Bitterley Court, near Ludlow, will be open from 11am to 5pm, as part of the latest in the series of open gardens organised by the Shropshire Historic Churches Trust.

Those attending will be able to take in the historic kitchen garden at Bitterley Court, admire the specimen trees on a special walk organised for visitors, and a tour of the neighbouring 12th century St. Mary’s church.

Nestled under Clee Hill, Bitterley Court is tucked away by the small rural village of Bitterley with beautiful views to Ludlow and the surrounding Shropshire Hills.

In 1780 the Grade II* listed house was Georgianised by the renowned architect Thomas Pritchard, who designed the world’s first iron bridge.

Although the house is not open on the day visitors can enjoy tours of neighbouring St Mary’s Church, which boasts the best surviving Decorative Period churchyard cross in Shropshire, thought to be put up in the reign of Edward II.

Today the house is owned by Katharine and James Wheeler whose family have lived at Bitterley Court for more than 100 years following the Walcots.

Mrs Wheeler took over the gardening mantle from her mother-in-law in 2004 and as a horticulturist has lovingly continued to maintain and develop the garden ever since.

The eight-acre garden surrounds the house opening out from topiary to lawns with specimen trees, from ancient to new, all carefully labelled and listed for visitors to enjoy.

Many are planted in commemoration such as a large Bramley apple tree planted after the Second World War in the dig for victory campaign or the tulip tree (Liriodendron tulipfera) celebrating Mr Wheeler’s father’s fortieth birthday in 1980.

Among more unusual trees is the Ulmus x Wingham, an elm hybrid bred for resistance to Dutch Elm Disease and to attract the rare White-letter Hairstreak butterfly and an old Ginkgo Biloba.

They can live for 3,000 years and as Ginkgo Biloba age, they thrive and show no sign of deterioration.

“Recently we have planted a number of single-flowered Japanese ornamental cherry trees weaving them in and out of existing trees. Perhaps one day I will be able to have my own hanami at Bitterley,” said Mrs Wheeler.

The kitchen garden has remained largely unchanged for 300 years and today grows heritage vegetables, fruit and cut flowers.

A large glasshouse against the south-facing wall was renovated in the 1990s.

The owners retained, however, the old Victorian fig tree trained against the wall in poor stony soil, restricting the roots which encourages fruit.

Today’s glasshouse crops include aubergines, chillies, tomatoes, cucumbers and the more exotic bananas and cannas.

A beautiful shocking pink pelargonium called Surcouf covers the end wall and flowers all-year-round.

The thousands of annual vegetables and flowers for the kitchen garden are raised from seed in the glasshouse every year.

“It would be too expensive to buy in all the plants and we also raise from seed to avoid pest and disease such as brassica clubroot,” says Mrs Wheeler.

In the summer, dotted around the kitchen garden, is a collection of citrus trees including lemons, oranges and grapefruit.

The trees are displayed in beautiful Italian pots from Impruneta where the local clay, called galestro, is fired at high temperatures making it uniquely strong with unrivalled frost resistance.

In the beds bordering the front of the glasshouse inspired by a visit to Chelsea Flower Show in 2017, is a stunning collection of the painterly Cedric Morris bearded iris from the artist-plantsman’s former home, Benton End, in Suffolk.

On the west facing wall is the long border affectionately known as the Beaujolais bed due to the largely magenta wine colour palette of herbaceous perennials.

In the three facing perennial beds is an emerging collection of old roses including Kathleen Ferrier.

Mrs Wheeler said they were looking for ward to welcoming the public, saying: "Gardening is an unlimited subject and if you are passionate about it, like I am, you will never tire of it. The thing I love most about the open day is talking to other gardeners, giving advice where I can and hearing about their gardens and love of plants.”

Admission costs £6.