South Thames: Knepp Estate - Walled Garden Tour

Following the success of last year’s event, join the South Thames committee as we return for another visit to Knepp Estate to discover how the garden has changed since September.

Starting at the new Wilding Kitchen & Shop we will enjoy a three-course lunch. As a seasonal restaurant the menu will be advised the week before the event as it depends what is available from the market garden.

Visit Knepp Castle Estate's Walled Garden and experience a biodiverse oasis, with manicured lawns and weeded paths. This garden is used for an experiment called the 'rewilding project' a process of changing the conventional gardening mindset curated by the most imaginative garden minds: landscape designer Tom Stuart-Smith, James Hitchmough (professor of horticultural ecology at the University of Sheffield), Mick Crawley (emeritus professor of plant ecology at Imperial College, London) and Jekka McVicar (organic gardening expert).

The project aims to spark a new way of thinking about how a garden can function as a dynamic ecosystem, maximising opportunities for a mosaic of habitats for insects, birds and other life.

The large Rewilded Garden is constructed from crushed building waste materials to create a 3D surface of hump and hollows. Once the plants are established throughout the garden, with regular maintenance, native plants should seed themselves - adding complexity. 

Event Details:

Welcome - Wilding Kitchen: Enjoy a three-course lunch infused with fresh edimentals grown on the Knepp Estate grounds.

About Knepp Estate Walled Garden: Learn about the design principles and theory of the garden experiment and rewilding. Discover economical and creative techniques which can be incorporated into your garden designs.

Presentation: Discover the design and theory behind 'rewilding' - you'll have the chance to ask the Knepp Estate Gardens Team your questions, dive deeper into the realms of 'rewilding' and explore how these strategies can be applied to commercial and domestic spaces.

A guided tour with Charlie Harpur - Knepp Estates Head Gardener: Explore the magical garden and take in the complexities yourself. Get up close and see how rewilding creates a biodiverse green space. 

From Architect to Head Gardener: Charlie's Journey into the Wild Gardens of Knepp Estate

Knepp Estate expanded their gardens department last year, with both the transformation of Knepp's Walled Garden and Swallows Market Garden. Charlie joined the team in March, and oversee's both projects as Head Gardener.

Charlie started his career as an Architecht but fell in love with the natural world following work with Architech Tom-Stuart Smith (The Walled Garden Designer). Following this, Charlie decided to achieve a Kew Diploma. 

Returning to Tom’s design studio with a more horticultural focus, he worked on the planting of Knepp’s walled garden and was so inspired by the tying together of both design and ecology that he moved to Knepp.

If you're interested in learning ecological techniques to improve your garden design and builds, and implement strategies to improve biodiversity and promote natural plant growth. Join us to explore Knepp Estate's Walled Garden!

We look forward to seeing you there.

Google Maps location of Knepp Estate - Walled Garden