The Duke and Duchess of Sussex moved into Frogmore Cottage last week. I hate that they could only move into their new abode just a few weeks before Meghan gives birth, but I suspect that pain of moving was mitigated by the fact that they probably have access to the best and most professional movers, packers and designers in England. Now Harry and Meghan are hopefully nesting and preparing for the baby. And Meghan is probably taking the time to plant a small vegetable garden too:
They may not be able to escape completely from the pressures of being modern young royals. But by moving to the country, it seems the Duke and Duchess of Sussex intend to embrace the Good Life. They are having an organic vegetable plot created in the gardens of their new home.
Keen cooks Harry and Meghan are to grow their own herbs, fruit and veg at Frogmore Cottage on the Queen’s Windsor estate, well-placed sources say. The vegetable plot is in the newly landscaped gardens at Frogmore Cottage, which has been given to the couple by the Queen.
A royal source said yesterday: ‘The duchess has a passion for cooking so it was suggested to include a small plot in the spacious garden where they can grow some of their own produce. She regularly cooks for Prince Harry and the cottage will be the perfect place for her to prepare meals with some home grown produce from their own garden. It is understood that she wants to be able grow vegetables, herbs and soft fruits.’
I’m so used to the fact that the Daily Mail and other British outlets seek to otherize Meghan about anything and everything, so it took me a second to remember that “having a small vegetable garden” and “believing in farm to table principles” isn’t unusual in the royal family. The Queen eats from her own gardens, as does Prince Charles. It wouldn’t surprise me at all if Meghan had even asked Charles for his advice about putting in a garden at Frogmore. And I bet Charles was thrilled to advise her about it.
Photos courtesy of Backgrid.
I wish I could have a small garden to plant things but I live in a flat in the city 🙁
We never will but I’d love to see how the house is, I’m sure Meghan has good taste to decorate things.
Do you by chance have a balcony or terrace? Those are great for growing tomatoes! And herbs can be grown inside any time of year.
ETA Many cities offer community gardens where you can plant your own fruit and veg if you don’t have your own lawn.
Yeah, my balcony is full of tomatoes, cucumbers, herbs, peppers, lettuce and strawberries comes summer… My only problem is that I get carried over and end up barely having room for a small table and chairs to actually stay outside! Can’t wait to be able to plant… Once we’ll be rid of the stupid snow!
I’ve grown pot plant herb and veggie gardens on balconies, and window sills before! If you get any sunlight at all, it can be done! Loads of great books and websites that will teach you how.
What’s progressive today was normal in the 1800s- every royal house had an attached garden & household farm. Americans in the 1940s were encouraged to grow “victory gardens” in every big or small area “save resources for the war effort”.
Alternative, is to pack a balcony full (if you are on the south side) or patio, I managed to fit 8 trees and numerous berry berry bushes/plants onto a compact 10×10 patio in the middle of the city. Everything flourished. My boyfriend even grows corn (for the grass) in the living room on the south side which gets enough sun (for our rodents).
But yeah, theres just nothing like an actual chunk of good old ground outside to dig around in. I have a garden only thanks to my stepdad, whose parents got a small plot of garden decades ago. I get to tend to it, since its a lot of work which they are all too old to do. And I realize how extremely lucky I am…!
Check out indoor garden boxes on gardeners.com. They are stackable and come with grow lights and watering systems. Am considering getting some myself because the light on my patio where I could grow things is pretty dismal in the summer.
Check out seedsheet.com It looks like a great concept for small spaces and indoor gardens. And you can customize them.
For patio or small space growing, another website to check out is earthbox.com. They have grow boxes that are “self watering.” Meaning, you fill it with water, and the plants will drink accordingly. All you need to do is check the water level by putting in a bit of water every day, and when the water comes out the reservoir at the bottom–you know you have enough water, so you don’t over water.
Also, herbs and small plants like cherry tomatoes can be grown in hanging pots as well. Nursery’s will tell you which tomato plants etc. can be grown this way and there are several varieties that are specifically for “small space growing” / “patio friendly” etc.
Gardening like this is fun, because once you set it up, there is very little maintenance which can be convenient for busy people! Good luck!
Kate has one at Anmer Hall as well.
Indeed, TQ has her own wineyard at Windsor that produces the champers that they serve in State banquets etc…
She has one at KP too. She was quoted telling someone she was growing potatoes in her garden. This was before they got Amner Hall.
Camilla makes honey from the bee’s in her garden and sells some pots at F & M for charity.
It’s smart to be self-sufficient and the Royals are very, very lucky to have the land and the professional help to be able to achieve that.
So?
Bring out the pitchforks. How dare she have a garden? /s
That, and don’t forget, “Kate! Kate! Kate has one too, ya know! Meghan isn’t special! Why is she always trying to hog the limelight! Ugh! So difficult! Kate will be QUEEN!”
Remember….. You can’t compliment Meghan without complimenting the future Queen Consort English Rose first! It never fails to amaze me the only time this doesn’t happen is when the discussion is about work ethic…crickets instead
Lol
Example – the comment before this one, lol.
How dare Meghan starts her own garden and not eat from The Queen’s or Kate’s garden? Who is she to think her lettuce and her broccoli are better than The Queen’s?
Next headline will be Meghan is taking all the vegetable plants causing a massive shortage. She’s putting small farmers out of business and starving young children!!!
I’m sure we’ll see, “Meghan thinks she’s so special, why can’t she eat the pesticide-laden veg & fruit just like the rest of us!”
This made me crack up! LOL
I’m not a great gardener. I have a short attention span, and we get pelted with black flys for a good part of the gardening season, and I can’t deal with it lol. I did manage to grow a bunch of carrots and a few peas two years ago. I think I’m going to plant some cherry tomatoes and some onions – just a few little things this year. I also have deer, rabbit, porcupine, and raccoons to watch out for when planting which makes it a lot harder.
@Erinn…by any chance do you live in Maine? Or the Northeast? Those critters harass me too. I live on Deer Isle.
Haha, I’m actually in SW Nova Scotia in a lobstering town … so basically Canadian Maine. If I hopped on the local ferry, I’d be in Bar Harbour in about 3.5 hours.
I presume Deer Isle lives up to it’s namesake? haha. It’s crazy how much it looks like places around here (thanks google images). But I guess that’s why they filmed “Haven” in Lunenburg. Robert Pattinson and Willem Dafoe spent a month or two in our town filming “The Lighthouse” about this time last year which I think is supposed to be set in Maine as well.
We had to put a bunch of wooden pallets around the garden when we did it last. had deer in it anyway, and they took a SINGLE bite out of each tomato and cucumber the buggers.
Hi Erinn, I live in NS too. Thankfully in a town so not many flies but the ticks are out in full force. I rarely visit my parents at their Summer home in Cape Breton because at least three species of flies swarm to get your blood the second you walk out the door.
It’s rough! My husband grew up more rural than I did – I grew up down the road from the town limit. And we had mosquito which were annoying, but nothing worse than that for the most part. And ticks – our giant dog only liked to do her business in the alders rather than the lawn, so she’d come back with a lot of them. We had deer in our back yard, so it made sense.
But I live about a 15 minute drive outside of town now, and I absolutely love my location – except for the flies. I am not a bug person for the most part. I like ladybugs and bees (never been stung) and butterflies, and I’ll save sow bugs and spiders from the cats and put them outside. But swarming bugs I cannot do.
Lots of Deer. Deer Isle is composed of basically two towns; Deer Isle and Stonington. I live on a part of Deer Isle named Sunshine. South from Bar Harbor. A lobster fishing Island. I love living near the ocean.
DF will next report…Meghan breath the pristine English air today….but Kate did it first!
For once a non hit piece from the Fail. Must be a full moon.
I bet the garden is a lovely addition and it makes Frogmore more like a home for Meghan and Harry.
Spoke too soon. They already have up another article criticizing her for this now.
That’s cool, they really building a home there. It’ll also be a great activity to get their little one into when s/he’s old enough. It’s hard work but so rewarding.
I had a nice garden before the rabbits from hell invaded. Then I tried an indoor herb mini garden I placed in my garden tub.
Oh haha the cats took care of that in a day. Silly me.
Anyway I have garden envy. 🙂
Did you try chicken wire around your outdoor plants? That’s been pretty effective for me.
Have you tried a straw bale garden? I do that, the rabbits don’t bother it too much, it’s rather easy and great for tomatoes, cucumbers and squash particularly.
Yeah, I keep thinking about doing a small herb one inside, but I think the cats will decimate it. I might be able to hang SOME in pots I suppose?
Most all the things she’s been criticized for, I’ve done. I went on a babymoon in a hotel (whirlpool tub jets against my back was better than the room service, and the room service was great!), I don’t wear pantyhose (I find it uncomfortable), I picked my own OB GYN to deliver Kiddo, I also chose the hospital (we have a couple in my area, I don’t speak to some in my family for what I feel are legitimate reasons, I’m divorced, I wear nail polish, have a bunch of crossbody bags, and I have a small garden.
I’m a controversial duchess without the title! Cool!
Heather, Duchess of Doing Whatever tf She Wants
Has a ring to it!
I like it! I’m off to change the signature on my work email now.
I work long hours, and have 3 kids under 8 – my backyard garden is my place of respite and calm. And there’s something magical about casually whipping up a dish or cocktails with herbs or fruit or veg I grew.
I’d imagine it’s similar for them.
Why did they call it a small organic garden? It’s so clunky. I have a small garden as well, everything is natural but i don’t go around calling it my organic garden. It’s just my garden as I imagine most home gardens are organic.
But I think the whole royal family gardens. I don’t see city-living Meghan and Harry being natural green-thumbs but sounds like it’s part of Frogmore estate and being built (and possibly maintained) by professionals and maybe they’ll learn from them.
They labeled it a “small organic garden” to further “other” her. They all have gardens, but hers will be organic because she’s high maintenance like that. Organic, vegan, ethically sourced, feminist, liberal, Hollywood, all these terms are carefully placed to subtly (they think) that she is just too different from what they hold she should be (or anyone in the royal family).
That makes sense. I picked it up as odd and unnecessary filler, but it is a “Hollywood” label Gooping her with the “others”.
There you go ASSUMING, you know what Meghan likes or dislikes.
Harry’s father is Mr. Organic Farmer, when the press was laughing at him in the 70s-80s for his organic farming, now it’s the in thing.
My father can build a computer from scratch. I cannot. Not all parents hobbys transfer to children. Especially as Charles is a busy POW, and Harry went to boarding schools and then the army. I dont think they had long days of working in Charles’ garden (which are tended by staff). I think he passed on his passion for the environment and organics but the skills I think he’ll pick up now. Yes it’s an assumption, as it’s a gossip blog and no one actually knows any celebrity/ royalty so all opinions are just that… speculation.
I think it’s one of those things where you pick up certain things from a parent who’s really passionate about a hobby/lifestyle… but you might not be interested. But I know I’m surprised with how many random facts I know from my history buff dad or things about working out from him… even though I drowned it out for the most part growing up. Now that I’m trying to get back into shape I’m starting to realize how much impact he’d made over the years even though I didn’t think I’d remember any of it.
And now that he’s settling in to a home with a wife and baby on the way, I’d imagine he’s a bit more keen to get into that kind of a hobby. Gardening is a lot more appealing when you have some land to do it – and a partner who shares the interest. And it’s so great for kids to learn.
They weren’t given the Frogmore Estate and access to all the land. They have Frogmore Cottage and the small patch of land around it. Maybe an acre including the land the house and outbuilding are on, mostly grass and trees. They wouldn’t require a garden staff to manage a small backyard garden. The same staff who mowed the grass around FC would be the ones still mowing it now, but a small garden would likely be handled by Harry and Meghan.
Well I don’t know LA where Megan grew up a lot of people have gardens its a city but its not like London so I can see her being good at it.
Honestly I can’t see Harry but I don’t think anyone who grew up in the Royal family have any actual skills.
I remember seeing pictures of her rental house in Toronto. She had a small garden there. It seemed well-kept with lots of flowers, veggies, and herbs in pots on the patio.
Is Windsor considered “the country”? Or just more country than London?
Anyway – sounds like a lovely garden. I am trying to figure out how to garden but I do not have a green thumb, at all, lol.
@Becks1 Windsor is about 45 mins from Buckingham Palace, so it’s not too far.
I wish I could garden (getting ready for a no deal Brexit), but I have cats and rabbits and squirrels to contend with.
I have a ground hog that ate all my herbs. He ate all my dill while sitting on the oregano. We also have deer and chipmunks. I’ve only seen a tiny rabbit twice, sometimes turkeys too. The deer are eating our rhododendrons which i thought were poisonous so i have hungry monsters here.
I’ve been researching the fenced in gardens, because I miss my full garden at my old house. Chicken-wire above and below ground, and how to make them still look appealing to the eye as our yard is open. It’s going to be so much work just to install. We’re also a high water table so might need to have raised beds. But I miss not needing to shop for veggies: I need a salad ok I’ll go pick my lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers and scallions. And grab some dill for the dressing. In late summer you get your string beans, squash, it’s great.
Rumour has it wild animals intensely dislike stepping on human hair, deer in particular. My friend gathered hair from the two hairdressers in town during the winter and spread it around her garden. She still had to deal with birds, but the squirrels and deer didn’t touch it.
45 minutes by car? Really? What, with no other cars on the road?
@LadyD – we actually use hair from our golden retriever lol. We have a squirrel/chipmunk problem and using his hair (after we brush him, we just take his hair and kind of have it strewn about, lol) has really helped.
I can’t wait for the baby, i would love a girl
Good on her. I have a small container garden on our RV site but the iguanas love to munch on my tomatoes, eggplant, and herbs. It’s one of the only things that make me miss living in the PNW. I far prefer the tropics but these little guys are invasive and will get through anything to grab a bite of veggies.
How big does a wild iguana get and are they aggressive? Asking for a friend.
Depending on the type of iguana they can get up to 3.5 to 4 feet long. I haven’t had any get aggressive towards me but I’m not an iguana expert.
I read that they had an orangery too
IMO that would be garden/glass room additions, not a greenhouse for plants. W&K put one at Anmer Hall to connect the house to the nannies quarters which were previously unattached (the old woodshed/wood storage).
Hm interesting I guess I kind of imagined a greenhouse sort of space with plants for indoor dining.
May I ask what the heck is “soft” fruit?
Also I think its nice she is doing this- I know a lot of people who use it as a stress relieve and its a great way to spend quality time with her child.
There is nothing better than the taste of food that you have grown yourself! I moved from the country to a subdivision several years ago and one of the things I miss the most is having a large garden! Before we moved we planted everything from corn to melons to potatoes and rotated according to the seasons. We’re getting ready to start planting our garden now, as a matter of fact, though on a much smaller and easier scale than our past gardens have been. Our largest ever was also our first year gardening and it ended up being almost a half acre. We had no idea just how much we would produce and ended up feeding the entire neighborhood. By the end of summer we were begging and pleading with everyone we encountered to take cucumbers, squash, peppers, tomatoes, and eggplants!