Apples
Kentwell has some 60 varieties of Apple in its Walled Garden (plus other varieties elsewhere). It also has a similar quantity of Pears - this is a greater number than will be found in most Historic Gardens or even in Botanical Gardens.
Espaliered
All the fruit trees are espaliered which was (and still is) thought to give the best return in the smallest and most easily managed space; some of the trees are very ancient indeed. The layout of the Walled Garden dates from the 17th Century when the first of the fruit trees were planted.
Age of the Trees
Apple trees, like humans, have a life span. From the outset newer varieties were planted when an old tree died. The present Apple trees date from over the centuries but the majority nowadays are Victorian or later - many being ones we have planted.
The Varieties
The trees cover very early (late August) through mid (September & October) to late (November/December) varieties. Some varieties that will keep well and others that must be eaten fresh. Some are best for cooking, some suitable for both cooking and eating and some best only for eating. No, we don’t have any of the recent varieties which is about all you can buy in the Supermarkets nowadays. They are grown to be of even size and colour. Taste and purpose defined apples favoured by our ancestors and (may we say it) by us too.
What will be available
We hope to have available information about the various apples with some of the unusual varieties available to taste. We also hope to press some for juice and cider and, perhaps, to show ways you can use store and preserve apples.
Tudors
We hope to have some of our Tudors on in the Gardens and also to demonstrate cooking or preserving.
Apples We hope to have a gardener in our walled garden offering apple tasting and advice on the apples grown at Kentwell and generally about growing apples.
