every plant in it is edible
Herbs for the kitchen, edible flowers for the plates, a living wall, a 400-year-old yew, and tables on the terrace when the weather allows.
pure and simple
Regular visitors to the Pipe and Glass can’t have failed to notice the stunning gardens. They were a team effort between James and Kate and Malton-based garden designer Stephen Bean.
“We measured up the garden, got a piece of tracing paper, and a big black marker pen, and we started with a big circle, the round table, as a hub from which everything else radiated. Then we put a bit of watercolour on top. It was that simple: this hand drawing is what the garden is built on.”
James Mackenzie and Stephen Bean in the garden they planned togetherSee where it is on today’s menus, and which Garden Room is named after it.
One of the more exotic herbs we grow. It has many uses in the kitchen, including in mayonnaise, pesto and soups.
Sleep in itLovage, a Garden RoomToile du Jouy and painted oakMaster designer Stephen Bean, seen here with James, had a clear concept of what the Pipe and Glass’s garden should be:
“I thought that everything in it should be edible. Every single plant, whether it was a herb, ornamental vegetables, shrubs, lavender, even a fragrant rose is edible. People could come out here and we could confidently say that every single thing is used in the kitchen. And people will say ‘you can’t eat a rose, can you?’ But you can.”
A beautiful British summer’s day is one of life’s greatest pleasures, but let’s face it, there are never enough of them! Make the most of every single one by enjoying the great outdoors at the Pipe and Glass.
In fine weather there’s nothing nicer than eating outside. You can choose from two lovely outdoor spaces: our informal, picnic-style benches at the front or, at the back, the terrace tables.
We’ve created lots of intriguing little nooks and crannies for you to explore in the Pipe and Glass gardens. Who knows what you might come across? A giant fairy mushroom, perhaps, or a noble stag created from larch bark and rhododendron stems.
“The birdlife and wildlife has increased because of this space. Not only is it better for the people, but it’s a habitat gain for the wildlife.”
We are sensitive to the different needs of the Pipe and Glass’s many visitors.
“There are people wandering round looking at the garden, and there are people in their rooms looking out at the garden, so we needed to create some privacy as well as welcoming public spaces. And the garden changes dramatically in the winter. When people come at different times of year to eat, stay, or just have a drink, we wanted them to have different experiences through the seasons.”
“It’s great for me to see one of our young chefs out here with a stainless steel tray and a pair of scissors nipping bits off the plants, and people watching them. That’s what it’s all about, but it was really important that it didn’t look like an allotment!”
The Pipe and Glass’s garden features an innovative living wall in which grow herbs including oregano, sage, rosemary, basil, thyme and parsley. You’ll also spot beautiful and edible plants such as nasturtiums, whose peppery leaves and vivid orange flowers enliven many dishes on the menu.
“A living wall is a fantastic way to grow even more fabulous ingredients in a relatively small space.”
The freshest of fresh fruit and veg and all the great flavour that comes with it: you know that’s what you’re going to get when you can see what’s on your plate growing just outside the window. At the Pipe and Glass, the air miles debate is more like feet and inches…
Herbs are a good chef’s stock in trade, adding wonderful flavour to the most basic of ingredients. At the Pipe and Glass we grow as many of our own as possible, ranging from the everyday, like rosemary and thyme, to the more exotic, such as myrtle and lovage, which has many different uses in the kitchen, including in mayonnaise, pesto and soups. We also like colourful, edible flowers: borage, nasturtiums and violas taste just as good as they look!
24 photographs · click to open