I heard it through the grapevine
THE sweet, black dessert grapes that flourish on The Great Vine at Hampton Court Palace must have delighted the palate of Lancelot ‘Capability’ Brown, who planted the impressive specimen 250 years ago, during the reign of George III. Since 1768, the largest grape vine in the world (13ft around the base, with its longest rod measuring 120ft) has fed many a monarch and hungry visitor.
Queen Victoria used to have the grapes sent to her, whether she was at Windsor or the Isle of Wight, but it was Edward VII who decided that they ought to be sold to the public and, during the Second World War, German prisoners-of-war were allotted the task of thinning the bunches.
In 1969, a new, bigger glasshouse had to be built around the giant Vitis
vinifera Shiva Grossa, or Black Hamburg, which had grown so large as to effectively devour its early 1900s wooden home. Over the 250 years, there have been 10 vine keepers and seven vineries altogether.
To mark the anniversary, gardens and estate manager Terry Gough has commissioned a special report on the plant’s history and, last month, a temporary carpet-bedding display with a motif was installed. Hampton Court Palace and its gardens, which also include the famous maze, are open all year; telephone 020–3166 3000 or visit www.hrp.org.uk for further information.
The grapes will be ripe around the time of the August Bank Holiday and are sold at the palace during the first three weeks of September.