MENU-LED GROWING

The carefully-managed garden at Fischer's Baslow Hall in the Peak District supplies its restaurant with distinctive, seasonal produce. Charlotte Sterland meets head gardener Kim Orwin and discovers how a compact space has been transformed into an exceptionally productive growing area

- Charlotte Sterland

Set uphill from the road leaving Baslow, Fischer's Baslow Hall combines fine dining with a highly productive kitchen garden. The space is compact, but densely planted, with fruit, vegetables, herbs and flowers tucked into almost every available corner. In summer, the garden is rich with crops. Even into late autumn and winter, there is still produce being harvested for the kitchen.

The garden's current productivity is the result of gradual, thoughtful development rather than a single redesign. Baslow Hall was bought by Max and Susan Fischer in 1988 and is now run by their son, Neil.

While the Grade II listed hall was restored soon after purchase, and the restaurant opened, the gardens evolved more slowly. Trees were planted, borders developed, and plants added over time, often as gifts from friends and family. Apart from a handful of mature trees almost everything visible today has been introduced in the past few decades.

A major shift came in 2020, when dedicated head gardener Kim Orwin was appointed. Kim's role was to create a clear growing strategy and to work closely with the head chef to ensure that what was grown in the garden genuinely supported the kitchen.

GARDEN AND KITCHEN WORKING TOGETHER

For Kim, the relationship between garden and kitchen is central to how the space functions.

“The process begins in the autumn,” she explains. “Head chef John Shuttleworth and I meet to review what has worked well in the kitchen. What grows successfully in the garden doesn't always translate into something that works on the plate.”

One example is apple marigold (Tagetes minuta), which grew vigorously and attracted attention from guests due to its size and scent.