Kinnordy Walled Garden, Angus

Not currently open to the public

Kinnordy History

We inherited a walled garden which was being used for rearing pheasant chicks and growing nettles and rosebay willow herb. We found an old plan of the garden, around 1850, which showed four quadrants and a planting scheme. This seemed a good basis to start, so, after hearing about the project to grow tea from seed in walled gardens, I planned a tea bed in one quadrant of the garden. It will provide a beautiful green area and in due course a diversification for the economics of the estate. It also provides a link to our time in Japan during the 1970s, where we enjoyed green tea and tea ceremonies.

Tea Planting

The area was measured off, and a mixed beech hedge established to provide shelter in due course. Tea seeds were planted in root trainers in the green house and they germinated very successfully. Later they were potted on, and placed in the polytunnel until ready to face the rigours of a Scottish winter.