The Forest Side Garden Tours 2018

Forest Side’s team of gardeners have teamed up with the National Garden Scheme (NGS) to offer private garden tours for small groups during 2018.

Charles Munro, Forest Side’s Head Gardener and his team have planned an exciting programme of private garden tours for small groups of between 4 and 10 people for this spring and summer…

For the second year running Charles’ Wednesday garden tours will provide an in-depth insight into the workings of a our restaurant’s seasonal vegetable and fruit garden. As well as the intricacies of micro-herb production and the day to day management of our ornamental, fragrance and woodland gardens.

The tours will commence at noon in the kitchen garden. At 1.00pm guests will then adjourn to Forest Side’s private dining room to enjoy a three course ‘Bait Menu’ lunch created by Michelin starred head chef Kevin Tickle and his team.

During lunch guests, will be able to enjoy sampling the fruits of the garden team’s labours and share each other’s gardening experiences, before recommencing their tour with a chance to explore Forest Side’s ornamental, fragrance and woodland gardens.

Cumbria National Garden Scheme county organiser Diane Hewitt, said: ”The National Garden Scheme raises money for its beneficiary charities by opening special gardens to the public. In Cumbria, we have real cottage gardens but having Forest Side, with its focus on seasonal kitchen garden produce for a Michelin Star restaurant, as one of our Cumbrian gardens is something very different.”

Diane added: ”Forest Side’s small group tours will give guests an opportunity to understand how seasonal food is produced on a commercial footing, as well as the processes head gardener Charles Munro employs to manage that process. Not only that they will also get to enjoy a very special meal created by head chef Kevin Tickle, using produce from the kitchen garden.”

Tour topics include:

Insight into kitchen gardening
A guide to micro greens and greenhouse growing
Growing unusual and heritage varieties
Lake District garden planting
Eating seasonably

Tour dates are as follows:

Wednesday 01st August, 15th August, 29th August, 12th September and 26th September 2018.

Tour places are priced at £60 per person, and includes a three-course lunch, with tea and coffee.

Tour numbers are limited to groups of between 4 and to a maximum of 10. Places must be pre-booked by calling 015394 35250.

Forest Side’s Wednesday garden tours will raise funds for the National Garden Scheme charities.