Commercial North Yorkshire nursery, Johnsons of Whixley secured a contract to supply the new walled garden at Rockliffe Hall, a five-star AA hotel, golf and spa resort in Darlington during the summer of 2022.

The newly restored walled garden opened in June 2022 and is now being used to service the hotel’s three award-winning kitchens and restaurants where guests can now enjoy home-grown seasonal produce on their plates from tomatoes, onions, chillies, garlic, garden peas, green beans, cucumbers, rhubarb and many other fruit and vegetables.

Rockliffe Hall’s estates and gardens manager, Phil Mennell, called upon Johnsons to supply the garden with over 350 Taxus baccata hedging plants, numerous taxes baccata cones and balls, espaliered fruit trees, herbaceous plants, currents and a selection of herbs all of which are ideally positioned near the hotel’s ten beehives, which will help with the pollination of the walled garden.

The Taxus baccata (Yew) hedging also creates a parterre garden within the walls, a centrepiece seating area and includes pathways, raised beds full of produce, cut flowers and walls lined with fruit trees which include gooseberries, apples, raspberries, redcurrants, and plums.

Eleanor Richardson, marketing manager at Johnsons, said: “We’re thrilled to have teamed up with Rockliffe Hall again, this time supplying their newly restored walled garden –The plants supplied will be used by chefs and enjoyed by guests at the hotel. It looks fantastic and will be a great addition to the hotel to complement existing facilities.”

Phil Mennell, estates and gardens manager at Rockliffe Hall Hotel, said: “It’s great to see the walled garden flourishing again after an extensive refurbishment programme throughout the winter season. The team have been delighted with the quality of organic produce harvested during the summer, and we can’t wait to enjoy our first full year in 2023.”