Garden Eras
Step through time with us and discover the plants that once filled the kitchens, gardens, and meadows of Britain. We’ve grouped our plants into five historical “eras” — Ancient, Medieval, Tudor, Georgian, and Victorian — to show how food growing and gardening evolved across the centuries.
Click an era to explore its plants.
ANCIENT
The foundations of food growing. Hardy staples, wild plants, and early cultivated crops that sustained communities long before formal gardens existed.
Medieval
Practical, resilient, and rooted in daily survival. Monastery gardens, medicinal herbs, and reliable vegetables formed the backbone of medieval life.
Tudor
A time of expansion and influence. New flavours arrived through trade, while kitchen gardens became central to household food and herbal remedies.
Georgian
Refinement and fashion entered the garden. Traditional pot herbs sat alongside elegant ingredients destined for increasingly sophisticated kitchens.
Victorian
The great age of gardening. Allotments, glasshouses, and plant collectors transformed growing into a national passion, blending exotic introductions with old favourites.