At Whatley Manor, the kitchen and garden don’t just sit side by side, they work hand in hand. It’s a close collaboration that brings seasonal ingredients to the table, starting with regular chats between our chefs and gardeners. They plan together, deciding what to grow based on what the kitchen needs and what the garden can thrive on.
That means everything planted is chosen with purpose — for flavour, versatility, and how well it fits into our seasonal menus. From when to sow and when to harvest, to how each ingredient will be used, these decisions are all made together, from the soil right up to the plate.
High Summer in the Garden
July and August are peak season in our Cotswold kitchen garden. It’s when colour, flavour, and abundance come together, and every ingredient is harvested at just the right moment for maximum taste and nutritional value.
In-season produce currently being harvested includes:
- Heirloom tomatoes – grown for their bold flavours and rainbow colours; perfect for chilled soups, salads, and garnishes
- Courgettes & courgette flowers – picked young for tenderness and served grilled, raw, or stuffed
- French beans – harvested crisp and fresh, ideal for bright summer dishes
- Pea ‘Blauwschokker’ – sweet and seasonal, used in both warm and cold plates
- Fresh herbs – basil, rosemary, nasturtiums, thyme, mint, marjoram, bronze fennel, and sage, all picked just before service to finish dishes or infuse oils and dressings
- Summer fruits – early blackberries and loganberries making their first appearances
By harvesting only what we need, when it’s needed, we reduce food waste and ensure every ingredient is used at its very best. Dining at Whatley offers the choice of food grown just meters from your table. This reduces our carbon footprint and gives guests an authentic field-to-fork experience.
On the Menu
The garden doesn’t just inspire the menu — it shapes it. Some of our small plates this month include:
- Tomato Burrata Focaccia
- Crispy Beef with Raw Vegetable Salad
- Pea and Mint Fricassee
We keep things flexible so the menu can evolve with whatever the garden is offering. Even our cocktails get a garden touch with herbs and edible flowers used to add fresh flavour and visual flair.
If you are visiting Whatley, be sure to include a walk around the Kitchen Garden it’s a peaceful spot full of seasonal inspiration, and if you see one of our gardeners at work, don’t hesitate to ask a question they’re always happy to share insights into what’s growing and what’s coming next.
