The garden

What began in the year of 2016 with a polytunnel, a ‘handful’ of organic seeds, a lively compost heap, and a few feathered friends, Anthony’s edible garden has blossomed into a vibrant tapestry of curiosity, biodiversity, and flavour.

The edible garden is home to over 500 varieties of organic heritage seeds and plants, celebrating the differences in colour, size, and flavour among edible plant varieties.

Illustration of gardening hands in soil with small plants, accompanied by tools and text highlighting "Fat Tomato" garden's 500 organic seed varieties.

inspirational garden
projects

Our Garden is inspired by different worldwide kitchen garden and biodiversity projects like Alice Water’s Edible Schoolyard Project across America, The Diana Kennedy Centre in Michoacán (Mexico), Stephanie Alexander’s Kitchen Garden Foundation in Australia, Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall’s River Cottage Farm in East Devon (England), Mark Dicano’s Otter Farm in Devon (England), Isabella Tree’s Knepp Wildland Project in West Sussex (England), Anita Hayes’ Irish Seeds Savers in Clare (Ireland), Madeline McKeever’s Brown Envelope Seeds in Cork (Ireland), Richard Corrigan’s Virginia Lodge in Cavan (Ireland). Darina Allen and Rory O’Connell’s Ballymaloe Cookery School in Cork (Ireland), Colclough Walled Garden at Tintern Abbey in Wexford (Ireland).

Anthony has spent time in many of these gardens, admiring what each contributes to protecting and championing biodiversity.

Two black boxes labeled "Fat Tomato" on green pine branches.

Illustration of chickens and chicks with colorful eggs, accompanied by text about heritage breed chickens, a guinea, and ducks in a garden.

Rainbow Eggs laid by our Feathered Friends

IT ALL STARTS WITH SOWING A SEED

Over the years, Anthony has collected over 1,000 packets of certified organic heritage seeds from reputable growers worldwide.

In 2018, Anthony joined the Gaia Foundation’s Seed Sovereignty UK and Ireland Programme, which was set up to support the development of a biodiverse and ecologically sustainable seed system in the UK and Ireland. As part of their trials, he has grown and reported different types of vegetables, evaluating their growing patterns, pest and disease problems, and the size and flavour of the harvest.

We save our seeds where we can every year, with some available to purchase online.

BUY GARDEN SEEDS

Illustration of a compost heap with cartoon worms, food scraps, and plant sprouts, accompanied by the text 'Our lively compost heap is the beating heart of Fat Tomato.'

Anthony sowing some organic heritage seeds

MANAGED
TO ORGANIC STANDARDS

As our garden is so tiny, it is not certified by any organic organisation in Ireland. It is managed to strict organic standards using only organic seed, compost, and feed. Our flock of feathered friends are like family, and we treat them that way. Happy hens equals delicious eggs.

IT IS ALL ABOUT GROWING FOR FLAVOUR, NOT YIELD.

We let nature do its thing and are very cautious about what we bring into the garden. We make our own compost and natural fertilizers like seaweed, nettle, and comfrey.

Crop rotation and companion planting guide us in what we sow and grow each year.