insideSUSSEX Magazine Issue 19 - September 2016 | Page 82
DAYSOUT
Arundel Castle
in bloom
Open to visitors for more than 200 years, Arundel Castle continues to attract a steady stream of
guests with its compelling events calendar and 40 acres of stunning grounds and gardens, as well
as the spectacular castle itself. According to a recent visitor survey, a massive 99 percent of visitors
said that they would recommend a day out at Arundel Castle to their family and friends. Moreover,
two thirds of respondents stated that there was ‘nothing to improve’ on their visitor experience.
Arundel Castle’s acclaimed gardens continually
proves to be a favourite with visitors, with a third
of people naming them as the most enjoyable
element of their castle experience, and currently,
the gardens are more beautiful than ever.
The wildflower area is flourishing, with varieties
such as the bright red Shirley poppy, yellow
Californian poppy, blue californica cornflower
and the purple fairy toadflax on display.
Perennial wildflowers have also been planted
throughout the gardens including the yellow
rattle, which actually rattles with seeds under
the warmth of the early autumn sun.
A fantastic display of Babylon dahlias as big as
dinner plates has come into bloom in the Cut
Flower Garden, many of which stand at over
one-metre tall. Striking canna lilies and beautiful
salvias have also flowered, making this an ideal
time to visit the gardens.
Alongside the bright flowers, an abundance of
summer fruit and vegetables have ripened for the
garden team to harvest. Traditional apples, pears
and raspberries are being grown in the Organic
Kitchen Garden with exotic paw paws, guava
and tamarillos in the Tropical Glass House.
In terms of what to expect in the gardens this
autumn, visitors can look forward to a riot of
colour. In addition to the wildflower area, the
castle is anticipating a second flush in the Rose
Garden, thanks to the weather conditions so
far over the summer.
The Organic Kitchen Garden has a bountiful
crop of unusual tamarillo, or ‘tree tomatoes’
as they are often referred to, this season,
which is expected to continue flourishing. The
seven-foot tall tree, originally grown in South
America, has eye-catching fruits dangling from
its branches, which can be eaten fresh, but are
also ideal for jams or chutneys.
The Organic Kitchen Garden also hosts an
abundance of interesting vegetables. The
asparagus pea, or ‘lotus tetragobolonus’, is a
uniquely flavoured pea, described as a cross
between tender asparagus and fresh peas.
Visitors will be able to marvel at this, as well as
a number of different coloured vegetables; the
castle gardens proudly grow orange, purple
and yellow carrots.
In the Tropical Glasshouse, exotic fruits are
plentiful and visitors this autumn will be able to
see papayas, guavas, and perhaps even a young
pineapple emerging from the centre of the plant.
The glasshouse is also home to an impressive
collection of chillies around the autumn too,
which all vary in heat, colour and shape.
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The autumn is a busy period for the gardeners
at Arundel Castle, who will be hard at work
preparing for next year, with a record number
of bulbs ordered for the castle's biggest tulip
display yet set for spring 2017.
Head gardener, Martin Duncan, says: “This
is my favourite time of year for the gardens
as there is so much to see and marvel at.
Our garden team are on hand to answer any
questions that visitors may have, so they can
try to replicate our displays at home.”
The castle gardens are open from 10am until
5pm, Tuesday to Sunday, and bank holiday
Mondays. Tickets start from £9. A season ticket
is also available for £30, which allows unlimited
access to the grounds and gardens (during
open season, excluding special events) for one
calendar year from the date of purchase.
Arundel Castle
Arundel
West Sussex
BN18 9AB
01903 882173
www.arundelcastle.org
@ArundelCastle
/ArundelCastle