A RESTORED Victorian workhouse garden which grows heritage crops using 19th century techniques has been awarded an ‘outstanding’ rating by RHS Yorkshire In Bloom.

Ripon Workhouse Museum’s garden, tended to by a team of volunteers led by head gardener Nick Thompson, aims to recreate how the garden would have been in the 1890s and bears crops of fruit and vegetables grown from heritage seeds, including Ragged Jack kale, and Fat Lazy Blond lettuce.

The garden also serves as an educational resource for schools, students and gardeners received the award after impressing judges with its labelling of crops and interpretation boards, the growing of heritage varieties and saving of their own seed snf hazel for coppicing to provide crop supports.

Judges also praises the garden for its wildflower meadow and orchard, for it being self-sustaining and for generating funds through sale of produce to local restaurants.

The museum’s garden is wheelchair accessible and are open daily from 11am to 4pm. For details, visit riponmuseums.co.uk