There is now an exciting new addition for the horticultural enthusiast visiting the historic gardens at Muncaster.

As part of the restoration of the old Walled Garden, adjacent to the owl centre, our Head Gardener, Jason Haine and his team have opened a retail plant centre.

We have started off with around 200 different varieties of hardy plant and plan to increase this number dramatically over the first few years. Primulas will be available from the spring including Primula 'Ravenglass Vermillion', unique to the area. Herbs and vegetable plants will be seasonally available.

Many of the species and varieties of Rhododenron, Camellia and Magnolia, to name but a handful, already growing in the gardens are scarce or unavailable for sale in the UK or the world for that matter. Our aim is to continue with a propagation programme to increase the number of truly 'Muncaster Grown' plants available. We have installed a 17 square metre propagating bench and already there are some specialities available.

Along side the plant centre there will be a fully functioning kitchen garden with year round crops. The produce will supplement the needs of 'Creeping Kate's Kitchen' so that visitors can enjoy 'Muncaster Grown' salads and vegetables. We are developing a Physic and Herb garden along the South East facing wall. This will contain plants used in current medicine, aromatic herbs and some ancient remedies from the likes of Gerrard's herbal and Culpepper's writings.

• Plant Centre catalogue 2008.pdf