Medieval Herb Garden blogs

Pontefract Castle's dedicated team of volunteer gardeners are launching a weekly blog!

Carole tending to the Medieval Herb Garden

We will be sharing with you what we will be doing in the Medieval Herb Garden (MHG) that week.  We will also be highlighting a “Plant of the Week”. We will explain its growth patterns, growing conditions and medieval uses. 

We will also share photos of the various multilegged visitors to the MHG. One such is the Rusty Tussock Moth Caterpillar that visited at the end of September:

A Rusty Tussock Moth Caterpillar on a visit to Pontefract Castle

In addition, we will highlight when plants are available to buy from the MHG barrow. You can also find out about the free talks and activities linked to the MHG.

Anyone can volunteer to work in the MHG! No previous experience is necessary. We will teach you how to plant, prune, take cuttings, pot-on plants and recognise weeds. We normally meet up on Mondays. Once you feel confident, you can come and go as you please - weather permitting!

Sign up to volunteer on the Wakefield Museums and Castles page on Citizen Coin.

Here's a list of our blogs so far - check back each week for more:

Week one: 6 January 2025 - Snow and callendulas