Waddesdon Manor, Bucks: From Flower Gardens to Allotments

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The owner of Waddesdon Manor, Alice De Rothschild, had a reputation for loving her gardens and the ornate flower beds on the estate. By 1918, as food became scarce, she decided to play her part in growing fruit and vegetables for the war effort. Her beloved flower beds were replaced with potatoes and parts of the estate were turned over to the production of hay. She detailed her decisions and feelings about the conflict in a fascinating collection of letters. They were sent to her head gardener, Johnson. Even though Alice spent most of the war years at her residence in Bournemouth, the letters show she wielded considerable influence in the day-to-day running of the house and its gardens, but her letters also show an important awareness of the international scene and the needs of the home front. Location: Waddesdon, near Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire HP18 0JH Image of wartime gardening at Waddesdon Manor Photograph courtesy of Waddesdon, The Rothschild Collection (The National Trust)