Spring is my favourite time of year.
I just love all the blossom.
I love all the spring bulbs that come through.
People have been growing produce here
at Walmer Castle for about 300 years.
The visitors here really love the connection between the kitchen
garden and the tea rooms.
We grow produce all year round, from winter
vegetables through to salads in the summer.
All are harvested and taken to the tea rooms
where they are made into delicious dishes
for our visitors.
The kitchen garden itself is divided into four sections.
The design is very formal, very geometric.
We need the paths to be able to harvest and look after the produce on a daily basis.
We have a team of seven gardeners here,
one apprentice and a
very dedicated group of volunteers
who help us keep the gardens at a very high standard.
Down in the kitchen garden,
when you pick anything
it's got such an earthy smell to it.
Every week I see something new in the ground.
I have an allotment myself so
every time I come here and I see that
they're well ahead of my planting
it gets me going and enthuses me.
At the moment we're sowing lots of
types of vegetables.
Lots of different types of beans.
Once the seedlings appear
and the plants are strong enough
we'll move them to the cold frames.
They'll be ready for planting
after about two or three weeks.
We grow all sorts of winter veg.
Celeriac,
potatoes, calabrese.
And, in the summer we're growing
tomatoes, cucumbers,
lots of different types of lettuces.
We've got a variety of textures
and colours, so you can have
a red iceberg and bright green jabeque.
And for that to be presented
on a plate in the kitchen for our visitors
is really lovely.
One of my favourite vegetables this time of year is asparagus.
The kitchen absolutely love it
and they make the most delicious quiches.
I think it's very important that our produce
does go to the kitchen.
I come here on a Sunday and have a
Sunday lunch. I can spot
all the vegetable that we picked
during the week.
Rhubarb scones are very nice
and it's one way of
using our copious, amazing rhubarb.
The kitchen garden is a really inspiring place.
We have the most amazing castle as a
backdrop, and the sea over the road.
It makes you feel very proud to be able to work in a place like this.