Much like the Cistercians monks who farmed the land 900 years ago, Forde Abbey’s kitchen garden (a Victorian add-on but very much in the spirit of Cistercian productivity!) is a hive of industry, growing not just cut flowers for the house but an array of seasonal vegetables for the cafe under the watchful eye and trowel of Olly Hone. Neat and orderly lines of vegetables intermingle with an ever-changing mix of cut flowers, grown without pesticides and using, where possible, natural solutions to deter ‘unwelcome visitors.’

Olly will be sharing his hard-won knowledge of vegetable gardening at the festival on both days at 11.30am and 2.30pm when you can join him for a kitchen garden tour with some tempting titbits to enjoy while you wander.

Picture credit: Andrew Maybury