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Kitchen Garden

A taste of the gardens that would have fed the Royal Household through the 18th century

A taste of the gardens that would have fed the Royal Household through the 18th century

Experience the recreated Kitchen Garden — restored to an approximation of how it would have looked in the 18th century. The food from these gardens once fed the Georgian royals and now supplies Henry VIII's Kitchens.

Few records survive of the original garden, but the layout of the beds can be discerned from contemporary paintings and engravings; as far as possible we have chosen historically accurate fruit and vegetable crops.

18th-century favourites

A speciality of the Georgian era were the Grand Sallats. Many published recipes featured intricate arrangements of 'no less than 35 ingredients' - well suited for adorning the royal table.

We may recognise some of the components, such as lettuce, rocket, endive, cucumbers and parsley. But how about Costmary, Hartshorn, Sweet Maudlin and Trick-madame?

We are growing these, alongside more familiar vegetable crops, in the central area of the Kitchen Garden. Peaches, apricots, nectarines, cherries and plums grow on the sheltered walls and a formal, box edged bed of soft fruit and standard dwarf apples completes the look.

When

Open in line with palace opening hours.


Ticketing information


Included in palace admission (members go free)

Buy Hampton Court Palace tickets

The restoration project

Quince tree in the Kitchen Garden at Hampton Court Palace

Discover the restored Kitchen Garden.

The history of the Kitchen Garden

The Kitchen Garden was originally built for William III and Mary II in 1689, on the site of Henry VIII's tiltyard. The tiltyard was divided into six square, walled areas, each approximately one acre in size.

When Queen Victoria came to the throne, she combined all of the royal kitchen gardens in the London palaces into one operation at Windsor Castle.

The Hampton Court Kitchen Garden was then leased out as market gardens for many years, before being converted to pleasure gardens in the 1930s.

The Gardener's Cart in the Kitchen Garden at Hampton Court Palace. Showing small pumpkins and squashes on top of the cart, surrounded by green herbs growing in the beds.
A close up of seedlings growing in the Gardens Nursery.

Blog: What's growing on in the Kitchen Garden?

The Kitchen Garden is one of the most active gardens at Hampton Court Palace, as a cycle of fruit and veg is grown in this space all year long.

Learn more about what we've been growing in 2021 in our blog by Expert Gardener Ichiho Garbutt.

EXPLORE WHAT'S ON

  • Things to see

Hampton Court Gardens

Take time to explore and relax in these world-renowned gardens and find our free entry Garden Open Days dates.

  • Open in line with palace opening hours.
  • Hampton Court Palace
  • Included in palace admission (members go free)
Learn more
  • Things to see

Privy Garden

Explore the Privy Garden, now restored to its former glory and complete with its intricate Tijou Screen.

  • Open in line with palace opening hours
  • Hampton Court Palace
  • Included in palace admission (members go free)
Learn more
  • Things to see

Henry VIII's Kitchens

Transport yourself back to the heyday of Tudor feasting and entertainment in Henry VIII's Kitchens at Hampton Court Palace.

  • Open
  • Hampton Court Palace
  • Included in palace admission (members go free)
Learn more

BROWSE MORE HISTORY AND STORIES

The story of Hampton Court Palace

Home of Henry VIII and the Tudor dynasty

Chocolate fit for a king

Where royal chocolate makers prepared this expensive delicacy

The gardens at Hampton Court Palace

A brief history of the famous royal gardens

Shop online

Shop food & drink

Feast your eyes on our wonderful selection of food inspired by our royal kitchen. Shop chocolates, preserves, jam, chocolate coins and the finest liqueurs.

From £4.00

Shop Hampton Court Palace Gifts

Our gifts and souvenirs are are inspired by over 500 years of history from Hampton Court Palace.

From £2.50

Henry VIII gauntlet armour oven glove

This fun oven glove has been inspired by a suit of armour made for Henry VIII in 1540, which is on display at the Tower of London.

£18.00