more than five years ago, we fulfilled our dream to design and grow a kitchen garden at the bell. our plan was/is to supply the kitchen with delicious fresh herbs, a good variety of vegetables, salad leaves, delicious spring and summer fruits and an array of picking flowers for the tables in the restaurant. essence garden design translated our initial ideas and over the years we have transformed it into a proper working kitchen garden.
the garden is divided into sections with a number of raised beds. it has its own in-built natural water irrigation system fed by the spring in the orchard. all our compost is organic and we only use organic kitchen waste. the garden works with and for the restaurant kitchen and all the bulbs and seeds are collected, stored and planted again for the following year. recently we have expanded the garden to include tunnels for heritage tomatoes and more growing areas.
during the year we very often organise kitchen garden tours and visits for local schools when the children can learn how the garden started, how we grow good looking, tasty vegetables and fruit for the bell's busy restaurant. contact reception for details
in the summer months we usually sell bunches of scented sweet peas, fresh fruit, salads and herbs grown in the garden so do pop into the garden if you are passing. our delicious home-made jams, jellies, marmalades and elderflower cordials are usually available to buy from reception, if you are quick.
the bell is a member of the national garden scheme. contact reception for details of garden tours.
this is a fantastic article by silvana de soissons which doesn't miss a trick about the garden and the bell - well worth reading if you have a few spare minutes!
http://thefoodiebugle.com/article/eating-out/the-bell-at-skenfrith-and-its-kitchen-garden
the kitchen garden featured in itv wales's 'a little piece of paradise' programme 3 with ruth wignal and bill lee. www.itv.com/wales/