Award-winning ‘Shakespeare’s Allotment’ relocates to Stratford

‘Shakespeare’s Allotment’, which recently won bronze in the Small Garden category at the Hampton Court Palace Flower Show, has been re-located to Anne Hathaway’s Cottage in Stratford-upon-Avon.

The allotment was recreated by Barry Locke, Head Gardener of the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust for the annual flower show which took place earlier this month.

‘Shakespeare’s Allotment’ was based on Anne Hathaway’s vegetable patch and featured a variety of fruit and vegetables, some of which dated back to the 16th Century. The allotment also featured a living willow cabin and a life-sized willow statue of Shakespeare tending his garden, courtesy of Birmingham University. The entire allotment including the willow cabin can now be viewed at Anne Hathaway’s cottage so giving visitors another chance to view this fantastic project.

At Anne Hathaway’s Cottage visitors can enjoy walking around the allotment which features over 30 different plants including Asparagus Lettuce, Asparagus Pea, Beetroot, Blackcurrant, Bronze Fennel, Buddleia Chard, Calendula, Carrot, Cornflower Pea, Evening Primrose, Godetia, Gooseberry, Hawthorn, Hyssop, Kale Jersey Walking Stick, Larkspur, Lavatera, Lavender, Mulberry Tree, Parsley, Parsley Pea, Parsnip, Pea Bean, Quince Tree, Raddish, Redcurrant, Rhubarb, Rocket, Runner Bean, Strawberry Spinach, Sweet Peas, Thyme and Winter Savory. The delicious Strawberry Spinach generated considerable interest at the Hampton Court Palace Flower Show. The plant was first cultivated over 400 years ago and is enjoyed for both its vegetable and fruit offering.

Barry Locke, Head Gardener at the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust stated “Replicating the allotment at Anne Hathaway’s Cottage has been another fantastic and commendable project. We hope visitors will enjoy wandering around and admiring the wide variety of ancient fruit and vegetables”.

SBT have recently produced a new leaflet which shows visitors how to walk to Anne Hathaway’s Cottage from Stratford-upon-Avon. The walk takes visitors on a pleasant, well signposted, one mile footpath from Shakespeare’s Birthplace, Nash’s House and Hall’s Croft in the town centre to the cottage in Shottery.

The five beautiful Shakespeare Gardens in Stratford-upon-Avon are cared for by an award winning gardening team. Visitors can enjoy live performances in Shakespeare’s Birthplace country garden which features herbs, fruit trees and old-fashioned roses. Mary Arden’s Farm is a typical country garden with fruit trees, vegetables, herbs and a wild flower meadow.

Anne Hathaway’s Cottage has a stunning cottage garden with beautiful blooms, an orchard, a growing willow cabin and an Elizabethan style yew maze. Hall’s Croft has an elegant walled garden which once belonged to Dr John Hall and features many of the herbs mentioned in his medical notebook. Nash’s House & New Place has an Elizabethan Knot Garden and Great Garden with box and yew hedges, lawns, flowerbeds and borders. This summer at New Place, visitors can experience an archaeological dig at Shakespeare’s last home which will take place in the gardens until 3 September 2010.

Tickets to all five Shakespeare Houses are great value and best of all, valid for a period of 12 months - with unlimited entry. So for the price of one ticket, visitors can enjoy days out at the Shakespeare Houses all year round – for free! For more information on the Shakespeare Houses, visit: shakespeare.org.uk