Where is Jekka’s Herb Farm?
The Jekka’s Herb Farm website perfectly describes where they are with ‘Located in the beautiful South Gloucestershire countryside, on the edge of the Cotswolds, ten minutes north of the M4/M5 interchange and just off the old Severn bridge’
While, as one does these days, we used ‘satnav’ to find our way there, signs were posted up at both ends of the road upon which the farm unobtrusively sits. So unobtrusively that, somehow, both Pinky and I missed it (how do you think we knew signs were on both ends of the road?)
Could we visit today?
Sadly the answer to this is ‘possibly not’ as Jekka’s isn’t designed to be yet another garden centre, pretending to be a nursery. It is the leading Herbetum in the country (one of only four remaining) and is, therefore, busy working in order for us all to have the chance to buy the wonderful plants and seeds they are famous for.
However, do not despair, there are a rare few ‘open days‘ throughout the year and you would be surprised how far some people fly in order to take the opportunity to attend one.
The Facilities
As we pulled into the site and drove toward the grass car park, past one of the cleanest ‘Polytunnels’ I have ever seen, I caught a glimpse of impressively crafted raised beds that any gardener would be envious of. It was clear that attention to detail and excellence were in the very fabric of everything that happened here.
Walking from the car to the main area, we were greeted by a vast array of plants, precisely placed on the matted floor, all wonderfully presented and labelled. The first thing that came to mind is how healthy they all were. None of them thirsty or tired, no dead or dying leaves or flowers, each one had been expertly and lovingly cared for.
Beyond the plants was an array of green houses, more Polytunnels, a brick building and the raised beds we noticed on the way in. While the majority of the covered growing areas were, quite rightly, off limits, the one we passed on the way in had even more wonderful plants, all of them needing to be in the car for the journey home but, sadly, common sense prevailed today (well, almost, we have some new additions to the garden!)
The brick building is where the shop and café were. I have a feeling this may also be where the (always sold out) workshops are held (that we keep promising ourselves, should we ever have a time where availability and finances are in sync.) While I don’t want to review the café, I have to say the cake was amazing!
Which leads me too..
Raised beds
The Raised Beds
Any photographs or video I took on the day could not do them justice for so many reasons. They are all precisely laid out and excellently crafted but, somehow, in the very same organic kind of design as the plants they housed. While Pinky was busily darting between them, finding herbs she loved (and some she wasn’t expecting to see) I was VERY interested in (you guessed it) the bee activity on the Borage and Rosemary!
Bee on Borage
It took me a while before I noticed another detail, carefully hidden in plain sight, on some of the beds. In fact, you’ll probably already have seen what it took me some 20 minutes to, as there is an example as the title image of this post. I am, of course, talking about the engravings in the timber of the beds themselves. There are quite a lot of them and I’m not even certain I managed to find them all! However, the favourite of both Pinky and I was, naturally, the bee.
Bee engraving
The Staff
It would take far too much space here to write about our experience with the wonderful staff! All of them we met were extremely friendly, helpful, and knowledgeable. For example, after seeing Golden Hops growing in one of the raised beds, it immediately became a ‘must have’ item for the garden (as a mixture of dried Lavender and Hops help me with my insomnia; Thank you to James Wong for that one!) So after a while of not finding any, we asked one of the staff and she went out of her way to find us one! We also had a lovely conversation with the ladies in the shop and while showing Pinky a pair of rather excellent Japanese snips, Jekka took the time to talk with us about her love of sharp, one piece Japanese tools (something she also covered in the tour..)
The Tour
Without a doubt this was the highlight of the visit. As quickly mentioned above, we had the pleasure of briefly talking with Jekka before but it was during the tour of her wonderful gardens that her passion for gardening (and gardeners) shone as brightly as the sun, while it was raining in all directions I could see. She talked about the importance of gardening to us all, the excellent work of the RHS (and encouraged everyone to join, which Pinky and I already have) and told the parents there it was never too early to get their children interested in gardening, a sentiment I fully agree with. She even had the assistance of one such child, who rather adorably handed around various herb samples from a paper plate to everyone, as Jekka introduced various herbs from the raised beds, explained what they are and what they are, or have been historically, used for. I’m not a leaf eater but her enthusiasm was so contagious I couldn’t refuse and how very pleased I am that I did!
Finally
Before I end I would like you to know about the wonderful Show Garden that Jekka is creating for The RHS Chelsea Flower Show in aid of St John’s Hospice. Jekka can also be found on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Where is Jekka’s Herb Farm?
The Jekka’s Herb Farm website perfectly describes where they are with ‘Located in the beautiful South Gloucestershire countryside, on the edge of the Cotswolds, ten minutes north of the M4/M5 interchange and just off the old Severn bridge’
While, as one does these days, we used ‘satnav’ to find our way there, signs were posted up at both ends of the road upon which the farm unobtrusively sits. So unobtrusively that, somehow, both Pinky and I missed it (how do you think we knew signs were on both ends of the road?)
Could we visit today?
Sadly the answer to this is ‘possibly not’ as Jekka’s isn’t designed to be yet another garden centre, pretending to be a nursery. It is the leading Herbetum in the country (one of only four remaining) and is, therefore, busy working in order for us all to have the chance to buy the wonderful plants and seeds they are famous for.
However, do not despair, there are a rare few ‘open days‘ throughout the year and you would be surprised how far some people fly in order to take the opportunity to attend one.
The Facilities
As we pulled into the site and drove toward the grass car park, past one of the cleanest ‘Polytunnels’ I have ever seen, I caught a glimpse of impressively crafted raised beds that any gardener would be envious of. It was clear that attention to detail and excellence were in the very fabric of everything that happened here.
Walking from the car to the main area, we were greeted by a vast array of plants, precisely placed on the matted floor, all wonderfully presented and labelled. The first thing that came to mind is how healthy they all were. None of them thirsty or tired, no dead or dying leaves or flowers, each one had been expertly and lovingly cared for.
Beyond the plants was an array of green houses, more Polytunnels, a brick building and the raised beds we noticed on the way in. While the majority of the covered growing areas were, quite rightly, off limits, the one we passed on the way in had even more wonderful plants, all of them needing to be in the car for the journey home but, sadly, common sense prevailed today (well, almost, we have some new additions to the garden!)
The brick building is where the shop and café were. I have a feeling this may also be where the (always sold out) workshops are held (that we keep promising ourselves, should we ever have a time where availability and finances are in sync.) While I don’t want to review the café, I have to say the cake was amazing!
Which leads me too..
Raised beds
The Raised Beds
Any photographs or video I took on the day could not do them justice for so many reasons. They are all precisely laid out and excellently crafted but, somehow, in the very same organic kind of design as the plants they housed. While Pinky was busily darting between them, finding herbs she loved (and some she wasn’t expecting to see) I was VERY interested in (you guessed it) the bee activity on the Borage and Rosemary!
Bee on Borage
It took me a while before I noticed another detail, carefully hidden in plain sight, on some of the beds. In fact, you’ll probably already have seen what it took me some 20 minutes to, as there is an example as the title image of this post. I am, of course, talking about the engravings in the timber of the beds themselves. There are quite a lot of them and I’m not even certain I managed to find them all! However, the favourite of both Pinky and I was, naturally, the bee.
Bee engraving
The Staff
It would take far too much space here to write about our experience with the wonderful staff! All of them we met were extremely friendly, helpful, and knowledgeable. For example, after seeing Golden Hops growing in one of the raised beds, it immediately became a ‘must have’ item for the garden (as a mixture of dried Lavender and Hops help me with my insomnia; Thank you to James Wong for that one!) So after a while of not finding any, we asked one of the staff and she went out of her way to find us one! We also had a lovely conversation with the ladies in the shop and while showing Pinky a pair of rather excellent Japanese snips, Jekka took the time to talk with us about her love of sharp, one piece Japanese tools (something she also covered in the tour..)
The Tour
Without a doubt this was the highlight of the visit. As quickly mentioned above, we had the pleasure of briefly talking with Jekka before but it was during the tour of her wonderful gardens that her passion for gardening (and gardeners) shone as brightly as the sun, while it was raining in all directions I could see. She talked about the importance of gardening to us all, the excellent work of the RHS (and encouraged everyone to join, which Pinky and I already have) and told the parents there it was never too early to get their children interested in gardening, a sentiment I fully agree with. She even had the assistance of one such child, who rather adorably handed around various herb samples from a paper plate to everyone, as Jekka introduced various herbs from the raised beds, explained what they are and what they are, or have been historically, used for. I’m not a leaf eater but her enthusiasm was so contagious I couldn’t refuse and how very pleased I am that I did!
Finally
Before I end I would like you to know about the wonderful Show Garden that Jekka is creating for The RHS Chelsea Flower Show in aid of St John’s Hospice. Jekka can also be found on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
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