THE glass is half full at Kingston Lacy after the estate, pictured right, received a grant to restore some historic buildings.

A number of the glasshouses in the National Estate property’s kitchen garden had fallen into disrepair and couldn’t be opened to the public.

But work has now started to bring them back into use thanks to a £38,345 donation from local action group Sowing SEEDS.

The glasshouses are adjacent to the 118 Growing Spaces community allotment plots, used by community group, schools and individuals.

The grant will allow two of the buildings – one of them a ‘sunken’ glasshouse – to be restored along with the small boiler house and cold frames.

Kingston Lacy head gardener Andrew Hunt said: “The grant is good news in allowing us to restore the glasshouses and we will also be able to use them to support the growing spaces and for part of our garden training and formal education programmes.”

Work has already started on the buildings including an attempt to save a 100-year-old wisteria growing on the Orchid House.

To help with the project, please visit the estate’s kitchen garden up until Friday from 2pm until 4pm.