As summer officially draws to a close, the seasonal shift brings a fresh feel to the production gardens here at Chatsworth. Cool, misty mornings are becoming more frequent, working in harmony with the Kitchen and Cutting Garden’s ripening produce, keeping everything looking vibrant and fresh. The noticeable drop in evening temperatures has already initiated subtle colour changes in the abundant foliage, visually signifying the start of autumn.

A Bountiful Harvest

Despite a challenging growing season, the gardens have reached their full potential, and it's rewarding to see so much ready for harvest. The gardening team is currently gathering the main crop potatoes, including varieties like Yukon Gold, Rooster, Pink Fir Apple, and Ratte. Alongside these, the gardens are brimming with beetroot, chard, spinach, lettuce, globe artichokes, kale, onions, garlic, shallots, and courgettes.

Indoor crops such as tomatoes and cucumbers are still thriving, while the passion fruits are ripening beautifully. Over in the Vinery, the Muscat of Alexandria grapes are approaching peak ripeness. These grapes will be harvested soon, but only after the best bunches are entered into the RHS Autumn Fruit and Vegetable competition at Hyde Hall in early October.

Outside, we are also in the midst of harvesting a variety of dessert and culinary apples. There's still a plentiful supply of rhubarb and blackberries, ensuring we make the most of this fruitful season.

Autumnal Blooms

Autumn in the Cutting Garden is all about the late-season flowers and foliage, ensuring the florists have plenty of inspiration. Dahlias, rudbeckias, asters, strawflowers, sunflowers, and amaranth pair beautifully with autumn foliage, grasses, and the seed heads of summer plants. Protecting these more tender plants from early frosts and heavy downpours is essential for their longevity.

Our two cut-flower glasshouses are thriving with zinnias, celosia, and later-flowering chrysanthemums, all of which perform better in a protected environment. Regular applications of small doses of seaweed and tonics made from weeds, such as marestail, have proven effective in keeping aphids and sap-suckers at bay without the use of pest sprays. A program of biological controls has also contributed to maintaining healthy plants, alongside our continual efforts to improve soil quality.

Sustainable Gardening and Future Plans

This winter, we’re focusing heavily on sustainable gardening practices. We’re expanding our ecological cutting beds, merging the fourth and fifth sections of the garden to create a mega bed filled with flowers. This will offer both a greater diversity of habitats for plants and wildlife and a beautiful space for wandering and harvesting. In this new design, we aim to experiment with different planting mediums such as sand, gravel, wood chips, and soil to see which combinations work best for fostering resilience and diversity.

Soil health remains a top priority. We continue to focus on composting and creating a cyclical system of plant waste and nutrients. By using both the Japanese Bokashi method and conventional composting techniques, we ensure that no valuable nutrition leaves the garden ecosystem. We also incorporate plant and soil tonics and natural farming methods to further enhance soil quality and plant growth.

Preparing for Winter

As we head into the colder months, preparations are underway to protect our more delicate plants. Tender species like bananas, salvias, cycads, pelargoniums, and succulents, which featured in our summer displays, will be moved into greenhouses and polytunnels before the first hard frost. Dahlias and cannas will remain in place until frost damage becomes evident, after which they will be cut back, dug up, and stored in a cool, dark space to ensure their survival through the winter.

We will also be busy propagating perennials and hardy annuals over the coming months. These plants will either overwinter in cold frames or be planted under protective cloche tunnels. In addition, this is the time for "editing" the garden, removing or relocating plants that haven’t thrived as cutting crops, and preparing beds for the next season's flowers.

The ‘No Dig’ Method in the Kitchen Garden

As part of our commitment to sustainable gardening, we are introducing the ‘No Dig’ method in the Kitchen Garden. Instead of disturbing the soil by lifting or turning it, we’ll cover the ground with a thick layer of organic matter—around 10-15 cm deep—and plant directly into this layer. This technique preserves the soil’s natural structure, supports beneficial mycorrhizal fungi, and enhances drainage while promoting healthy plant growth.

Looking Ahead

Over the winter, we are excited to build on our commitment to ecological gardening. Our focus will be on enhancing our cut flower production through natural systems, sustainable soil management, and expanding our growing spaces. These efforts aim to create a resilient, self-sustaining garden that supports both plants and wildlife, ensuring that Chatsworth’s gardens remain vibrant, productive, and beautiful throughout the year.

Whether you’re visiting the gardens or enjoying the seasonal produce in our restaurants, this is an exciting time to experience the best autumn has to offer. Thank you for following along with us, and we hope to welcome you to the garden soon.

Images: Mick Brown, Ellie Bell and India Hobson