There are 23 varieties of rhubarb growing in the gardens of Fife’s Kellie Castle – but only one holds particular importance for the Rodger family.
The variety is named after the Crail family’s late father, gardener Bill Rodger, but the family’s own supply of the rare rhubarb has run out.
Now the Fife family have been reunited with the rhubarb variety named after the celebrated gardener at Kellie Castle.
Bill Rodger was an excellent gardener, known for his love of growing all sorts of vegetables.
In 1984, he broke the world record for the heaviest onion – it came in at a whopping 15 lbs. Bill broke the previous record which his brother, Bob, held.
His children have fond memories of the huge range of veg in their dad’s garden.
They would delight in “stealing” rhubarb straight from the plant and then eating it – unwashed and without sugar.
Bill donated the rhubarb to Kellie many years ago, and when the castle sent it off for identification, the experts couldn’t figure out what type it was.
Since then, it has always been known as the ‘Bill Rodger’ variety.
This year, his family reached out to Kellie Castle to say there was no more ‘Bill Rodger’ rhubarb left in their garden.
The gardeners were delighted to give some of Bill’s rhubarb back to the Rodger family.
Celebration of rhubarb at Kellie Castle
The ‘Bill Rodger’ rhubarb is one of the 23 varieties that staff and visitors will celebrate this weekend as Kellie Castle hosts its first ever rhubarb celebration.
The Rodger family will be attending the festival to see their dad’s variety on show.
Over a three day period, visitors will be able to taste rhubarb fresh from the ground the way the Rodger family did it.
The Kellie Castle gardeners have managed the plants, fruit and veg organically since the 1990s, without using pesticides. They have also been experimenting with the no-dig method.
Diane Barrie is a produce gardener at the National Trust property.
She said: “It’s three days where people will come along and see all the varieties we have here.
“People will get to taste it raw – or with some sugar – if they want to.”
I tried some of the ‘Bill Rodgers’ rhubarb after tugging it straight out of the ground (with Diane’s supervision).
It tasted surprisingly sweet.
Just a wee reminder that rhubarb leaves are poisonous to humans and animals, but if you soak them in water you can use them as a free natural pesticide.
“There will be a gardener on hand to give handy tips,” added Diane, 58.
“We will have rhubarb for sale both to eat and for people to take away and grow.
“That means these this varieties go out into people’s gardens and it will preserve them.”
When can I taste ‘Bill Rodger’ rhubarb at Kellie Castle?
The rhubarb celebration will run from Saturday April 29 to Monday May 1 from 11am to 4pm each day. National Trust members can get in for free and other visitors can pay £5 for garden entry.
The bakers will serve up three different baked goods on each of the three days of the festival – each of which will feature, you guessed it, rhubarb.
Tricia Danson, one of the Kellie Castle bakers, let me try one of her rhubarb scones that she’ll be serving up on the day.
Why not bake it for yourself with Tricia’s rhubarb scone recipe?
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