Kitchen garden

**Historical Development of Kitchen Gardens**:
– Kitchen gardens were separated from pleasure gardens in the 16th century.
– In the Middle Ages, kitchen gardens were often located away from the main house.
– By the 19th century, there was a rise in specialized gardening due to increased vegetable cultivars.
– Allotments specified that only edible plants should be grown.

**Plants in Kitchen Gardens**:
– Turnips, coleworts, sorrel, arugula, parsley, and spinach were commonly planted crops.
– Edible flowers and winter potherbs like thyme, sage, and lavender were also grown.
– Marigolds were beneficial for eye irritation and tooth pain.
– Other plants found in kitchen gardens included asparagus, artichoke, and cucumbers.
– Citrus and melons could also be grown in kitchen gardens under suitable conditions.

**Modern Potager Gardens**:
– Some modern gardens integrate edible plants and herbs with ornamental plants.
– Fruit trees are commonly planted in modern kitchen gardens.
– The goal of modern potager gardens is to combine functionality with aesthetics.
– Companion planting of vegetables and herbs is a common practice in modern kitchen gardens.

**Vegetable and Herb Gardens**:
– A vegetable garden is a small-scale form of vegetable growing, typically located in the back garden or back yard.
– About a third of adults in the UK and America grow food in private or community kitchen or vegetable gardens.
– Vegetable gardening can reduce greenhouse gas emissions related to agriculture by growing food locally.
– Herb gardens are spaces devoted to growing herbs, which can be used for flavoring food, pest control, scents, or medicinal purposes.

**Surviving Walled Kitchen Gardens**:
– Some surviving walled kitchen gardens like Croome Court and Clumber Park are open to the public.
– Gibside, NT, has some walled gardens now used as volunteer allotments.
– Ham House, NT, is mostly used for growing vegetables.
– These walled kitchen gardens have historical significance and are preserved for public access.