Oakman Inns is to stage an open day at The Akeman Inn, Kingswood, in Buckinghamshire, to show off its new kitchen garden.
Philip Jones in one of the polytunnels at the Oakman Kitchen Garden. Photograph: Oakman Inns
From noon to 5pm on 23rd July, the Oakman Garden team, led by Philip Jones, the company’s gardens and sustainability manager, will be giving guided tours.
Additional activities and garden games will be laid on for children, and plenty of refreshments will be served from a food truck and outdoor bar.
As well as planting more than 500 native trees to create a new woodland margin, and apple and damson orchards, Philip and his team have been quietly working away over the last few months building new beds, paths, and polytunnels.
They were enriching the soil over the winter and have created a series of highly productive plots that will allow for rotational planting, propagation, and healthy, sustainable crops for their restaurants.
The growing list is a cornucopia of seasonal fruit, vegetables, salads, and herbs, ranging from multiple cultivars of cucumber, tomato, beetroot, radish, mint, and turnip to French beans, chilli peppers, edible leaves, and herbs for seasoning.
Philip said: “There’s nothing quite like fresh produce. In time, we hope that the Oakman Kitchen Garden will not only be a valuable and sustainable resource for our restaurants, but will eventually develop into a valuable educational and community asset.
“We believe that by growing our own fruit, herbs, and vegetables, we will deepen the relationship between our guests, the environment, and our neighbours. For example, starting at the kitchen’s back door, undervalued ‘waste’, such as vegetable peel, coffee grounds, or wood ash from the pizza ovens, will be recycled into our compost production.
The Akeman Inn is at Kingswood, Aylesbury HP18 OQJ. There are more details on the event Facebook page.
