This year as part of Royal Harewood celebrations in the House, we are planting our own ‘Dig for Victory’ bed in the Walled Garden. A scaled-down version of the original Dig for Victory beds, this will be a learning resource for school groups and also an opportunity for visitors to look back on the history of the Gardens at Harewood.
The Dig for Victorycampaign was launched at the outbreak of the Second World War. It encouraged people to cultivate their gardens and grow food to support the war effort.
This year at Harewood we are recreatingDig for Victory Leaflet No.1 on this bed (see poster).
We have sourced, where possible, varieties of vegetables that were grown during the war years.
Whilst the bed is not as long as recommended in the poster, we have tried to be as true to the planting plan as possible.
Visit the Walled Garden this Summer, and feel free to ask a gardener for more information!
HRH Princess Mary made Harewood her home thoughout 4 decades and saw many changes in the use of the Gardens at Harewood, especially during the war years. She was also a keen gardener and plantswoman herself, and had a significant impact on the Gardens – the legacy of which is still visible in the Gardens today.
In 2012 we will also be launching a new rose ‘Yorkshire Princess’, a fitting tribute to the Princess who loved roses and had many varieties planted on the Terrace here at Harewood in her time…
Read more about the Gardens on our website…