Inside Ashford Castle's Kitchen Garden with Head Grower Alex Lavarde
In partnership with Ashford Estate.
What initially drew you to the world of gardening?
My parents had a garden back in France and I used to help them harvest different vegetables, but saw it more as a chore than anything else. That was the first contact.
Then, I travelled to Australia and worked on various farms where I started to get a taste of working outdoors and produce food. It is after the tragic death of my daughter that I decided to learn how to grow chemical-free food to hopefully do my part in reducing the amount of poisoned food we consume.
You joined Ashford in 2021 and took on a kitchen garden that was only a few years old — what drew you to a project like this, and how has your vision for it evolved since you arrived?
When I joined Ashford Castle in 2021, I was attracted by the project to be as self-sufficient as we can and working with such a reputable group gave me confidence that a project like that can be achieved.
We are very grateful to be working with the Tollman family who is supporting and believing in this project.
Every year, we are getting closer to this goal by increasing our growing area. We are now three full timers and should increase that numbers in the coming years.
Talk us through your relationship with the chef team and how that works. What are some of your favourite dishes that featured produce you grew?
We have a great relationship with the executive chefs of the estate Liam Finnegan and Jonathan Keane, who are both big supporters of the garden.
They send their team in the garden for them to realise the work behind the scenes to grow the produce they are using in the kitchen. Some of them come to work in the garden because they want to understand this side of cooking, it's great to see!
They have a great dish with white asparagus at the moment, it's amazing. The vegan dishes from the tasting menu are worth tasting as well. They created a cordial from apple peels and blackcurrant wood too, which is divine.
You can not beat the first carrot coming out of the ground with its sweet and juicy texture.
What are you most excited to grow (and eat!) this season?
You can not beat the first carrot coming out of the ground with its sweet and juicy texture, incredible. The first peas are always a treat, without forgetting the first tayberry (cross between raspberry and blackberry).
This year, we will grow yacon, a south American tuber that is very versatile and grow well here. Only grew it in small quantity in 2025 to see if they would like it and they did. Same thing with okra.
We are working on a legacy for generations to come and working in an 800-year-old estate reminds you of that every day.
Does gardening within an 800-year-old estate change how you think about your work — is there a sense of tending something much longer than a single season or even a single career?
The way I see it, as long as Ashford Castle will be a hotel, the gardens will keep evolving and growing. There are so many things to do, areas to explore and expand to produce as many things as we can for the kitchens, this work will continue long after I am gone. We are working on a legacy for generations to come and working in an 800-year-old estate reminds you of that every day.
What would you say to someone who wants to grow more of their own food but is intimidated by where to start?
The best advice I would give someone who wants to start growing is start small with things you enjoy eating. Go visit gardens and talk to growers at farmers markets. A lot of things can be grown in pots outside or on the windowsill.
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