Plans are afoot to renovate the kitchen garden, and Tim Walker the gardener at Plas yn Rhiw is looking forward to: "A kitchen garden in the Victorian sense, with traditional varieties."

Before the new plants go in, however, there is much clearing work to be done - old greengages need to be felled, and the roots removed before a small orchard of pear and plums can be planted. These will be maiden trees six to seven years old, and about four to five feet tall - all will be planted as bare rooted stock at the end of January or beginning of February.

According to Tim: "All the apples have been selected from the National Apple Collection. They will include varieties of apple which have previously been removed from the garden, as well as the Bardsey apple - this one on merit, because it's a native Welsh apple. Other apple varieties will include a Worcester Pearmain, a Russett Pippin and a John Downie crab apple."

Crab apples are included as apple trees are selective about which apple tree they pollinate with, but all will cross pollinate with a crab apple variety.

More native trees will also be planted along the grass areas above the house.In the kitchen garden the plan is to grow traditional vegetables such as potatoes, cabbage, onions and carrots, using companion planting such as African marigolds, to keep the insects away. It will also supply the house and the holiday cottage - situated in the garden of Plas yn Rhiw - with cut flowers such as Sweet William.

Despite working at the garden for nearly 10 years, Tim says he still enjoys the anticipation of seeing if all the hard work as been worthwhile. "We work a year ahead of ourselves. The garden dictates to us, not us to the garden," he says.

Another addition, soon to be installed, is a Victorian-style lean-to greenhouse. This will be positioned by the old pigsty, and will give visitors a glimpse of a bygone age.Tim has plans to train an exotic fruit along the back wall, a typical Victorian fashion.

"I'm contemplating a peach or an orange," he said. A small mobile heater will be installed, but thanks to the unique micro-climate at the Plas, Tim doesn't see it being used very often - "perhaps on the odd nippy night!"

"The building will be a traditional Victorian utility design, all wooden struts on a stone plinth, and with water re-cycling barrels we should be able to contain this cell as self-contained."

The idea for the glass house comes partly from necessity because the National Trust's policy of not using peat-based compost has meant that Tim can no longer buy bedding plants from local nurseries. At the moment, as a result of this policy, some areas of the garden have had be planted with spare plants from elsewhere in the garden, or left fallow. One favourite which will make a re-appearance will be sweet peas, and it will also allow the propagation of important shrubs and hardwoods, with any surplus being sold off for the benefit of the garden.