Chatsworth heads for greener future as gardeners begin final planting in three-year-project

More than 40,000 perennial plants and more than 30,000 bulbs are going into the ground at Chatsworth House this autumn.

Overall, 95 per cent of the current planting is peat free and has either been grown in the open ground and transported bare root, or in biodegradable pots that have been made from remoulded husks that are a by-product of the rice industry.

Only a few specialist trees and shrubs have been grown using peat.

This autumn's planting covers around three acres and includes the woodland areas surrounding the 100 steps that run up the hillside from The Maze, originally the site of Joseph Paxton’s Great Conservatory, and lead to the monumental, contemporary sculpture at the top, Chaos Meteoro by Jedd Novatt.

This area will feature perennials and grasses including aster, geraniums, iris, phlox, pulmonaria, molinia and pennisetum as well as rhododendrons, kalmia, hydrangea and euonymus.

The autumn planting is expected to take several weeks, depending on the weather and the restrictions made necessary during the coronavirus pandemic.

Head of gardens and landscape Steve Porter said: “The Duke and Duchess have come into the garden most days and often help out with planting, placing and watering.

“They are very involved in the whole garden transformation project and keen that we take a more sustainable approach.”

The Chatsworth garden team have been improving the sustainability and reducing the environmental impact of their work in all areas. The plants grown on site for Chatsworth’s shops are already completely peat-free and almost no pesticides and fungicides are now used in the glasshouses.

Mr Porter added: “There’s more we can and will do because there is real support across the garden team and from the family as well as our garden designers and suppliers.

"We will be making more changes in the years ahead because it's what we want and because it's what visitors expect from Chatsworth.”