Bridget Elworthy and Henrietta Courtauld

The Land Gardeners are back! After their sensational debut at Rapaura Springs Garden Marlborough in 2019 we’re thrilled to welcome back Bridget Elworthy and Henrietta Courtauld this year. Joining us from England, The Land Gardeners will share their latest ideas on what to grow and how to look after your soils to create beautiful, biodiverse gardens.

Their work includes designing productive, wonderful gardens – wild, romantic and brimming with biodiversity – and they’ve restored walled and historic gardens in England, France, Italy, New Zealand and Zimbabwe. Each spring they run a private garden tour in Cornwall and France, visiting some of the most exquisite public and private gardens. They’re currently working on the restoration of two walled gardens at Althorp Estate in Northamptonshire – one of them over five acres – incorporating a regenerative biodynamic vineyard, a productive cutting garden, vegetable, herb and fruit gardens, and the restoration of eighteenth-century glasshouses. They’re also working with specialist growers to re-introduce heritage varieties including the famous Spencer sweet pea!

The Land Gardeners are passionate about plant and soil health, with an innovative approach to composting, and are now working with the Althorp Estate to create a soil hub researching the best ways of feeding farm soils without the need for chemicals. Their research is taking them around the world looking at ways – both ancient and innovative – that gardeners and farmers are healing their soils.

This spring they launched their online magazine, SOIL, sharing their ideas for healing your soils, bringing biodiversity back into your garden, and their favourite plants and flowers.

The Land Gardeners and their work have been featured in Gardens Illustrated, House and Garden UK, American Vogue, World of Interiors, Country Life, and many other magazines. They have a large and passionate following on Instagram, and have published three books, Clive Nichols: English Gardens, The Land Gardeners Cut Flowers and their latest, Soil to Table, published just ahead of their visit to Garden Marlborough. There’s also a wealth of information at www.thelandgardeners.com

Regenerative agriculture and soil health

This Thursday workshop will focus on the importance of soil health on our vineyards and farms and in our gardens. Drawing on regenerative experiences across the world, The Land Gardeners will share innovative agricultural practices including incorporating biological amendments and compost, under-planting with cover crops and more. Whether you’re a vineyard owner, farmer or gardener these principles will be useful – helping to improve the health of your soil. 

The Land Gardeners keynote talk

On Friday evening hear The Land Gardeners share their story of the walled gardens at Althorp, the gardens’ history of full production before a post-WW1 decline, and now their exciting restoration. Learn about the archeological discovery of the old glasshouses and their renewal, including the replanting of hundreds of heritage roses, vegetables, herbs and fruit, along with exciting new varieties.

For those who prefer a wilder feel, The Land Gardeners will share their passion for creating wild, biodiverse productive gardens that are low maintenance, but still offer an abundance of blooms to gather year round. Looking at bulbs, perennials, roses, trees, climbers, hedgerows and fruit, they offer a step-by-step guide to turn your own garden, orchard or lawn into a space you can pick and eat from throughout the year.

Finally, they’ll discuss their latest book Soil to Table, exploring the importance of soil and how it impacts our food, biodiversity and our planet, including recipes for feeding our soil, from the use of green manures to composting.

Enjoy a glass of Rapaura Springs wine as you hear from this dynamic duo. The Land Gardeners are always full of surprises and inspiration and absolutely should not be missed! Don’t forget you can also meet Bridget and Henrietta on the exclusive Landmark tour.

Photo credit: Create Academy