Sunshine and herbs for diners at Otter Nurseries

Visitors to Otter Nurseries can enjoy refreshments in a bright new kitchen garden, thanks to a makeover and inspired planting.

The popular garden centre worked hard to get the area ready in time for customers to be able to enjoy the recent clement weather.

Managing Director, Jacqui Taylor said: “The outdoor dining area was looking rather lacklustre and we decided it needed an update to provide a more pleasant area for our customers to relax and enjoy their food, particularly as we have been enjoying a bout of warm sunshine and blue skies.”

“At the same time it seemed a good idea to make better use of the space to grow fresh supplies for our kitchens.”

All the plants grown in the kitchen garden will be edible. Olive trees are already bearing fruit, and attractive containers have been planted up with herbs grown from seed at Otter Nurseries, including parsley, dill, lavender bay, oregano, thyme and rosemary.

“The herbs are ready to be used in the kitchens straight away, and later on in the season we’re going to be planting lots of summer crops like tomatoes and strawberries which will also be incorporated into some of the dishes,” explained Marketing Manager Sabine Taylor.

“This is just one part of our drive to become more sustainable – and to provide the freshest possible food to our visitors,” she added.

The kitchen garden provides seating for up to 60 customers, including an unusual thatched ‘hut’ to provide shadier seating during the warmest of days.