Case Study

THE PIG-at Harlyn Bay

23 September 2020 | Daisy Faughnan

THE PIG-at Harlyn Bay is a real Cornish Gem! Harlyn House is a Grade II listed manor house that has been beautifully renovated yet still has all the original Georgian features. The property is just a stroll from Harlyn Bay Beach and a short drive from the picturesque port of Padstow. There are unique and characterful bedrooms in the Main House with views out across the bay, or the gardens. With an obsessive commitment to home grown and local produce, the garden and Kitchen Teams work hand in hand to create our 25 mile menu, what cannot be grown in the garden will be sourced from local suppliers within 25 miles.

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National Trust Collection

Project Overview

Style

Lean-to, Traditional

Dimensions

3.4m x 8.9m

Colour

Mu0026L Paints Silver Lavender

Tell us about the gardens at THE PIG-at Harlyn Bay?

Enclosed by three sides of Cornish Slate Wall, the kitchen Garden here at Harlyn was built in 1831, meaning the kitchen garden has been growing for almost 200 years! However, the garden was very overgrown and neglected when we took on the property so our Kitchen Garden Team has worked hard to restore it. We will work all year-round to keep it flourishing with vegetables, fresh salads and herbs. We are even growing our own rock samphire, sea kale and sea beet, in true Cornish style.

The gardens are steeped in history, you can often see reminders of how the house used to function, there are older farm ‘hedges’ that have the well house nestled between them (directly opposite the greenhouse) and this would have provided the water for the garden before the Manor House was connected to the mains water.

Where is the greenhouse located?

The Alitex greenhouse is located centrally on the large kitchen garden wall, southerly facing with a fruit cage on either side and a large herb border in front of it. There are signs of an earlier greenhouse to the left of the new Alitex structure, this is shown by original lime rendering and two lines of collapsed and partially robbed brick walls in the slate kitchen garden wall.

What is the main purpose for the greenhouse?

During the summer, the greenhouse will be used to grow exotic produce such as Snake gourds, melons, mixed hot chillies and aubergines. The chefs love this type of produce as there are so many ways in which they can add it to our ever changing 25-mile menu. During the winter months in the greenhouse we will be growing mustard leaf, rocket, komatsuna and lots of other tasty leaf garnishes.

What made you decide on a lean-to?

There were so many different greenhouse options to choose from however our decision was made easier by the existing greenhouse that had sat in its place. The previous greenhouse on site was based in a similar position so the lean-to design felt like the best fit for us.

Why did you choose M&L Paints Silver Lavender as the colour?

Because of our historic surroundings, the new greenhouse was being constructed to fit onto an existing ancient Cornish slate wall and we wanted to match in with the hues of the slate. The Silver Lavender colour was a perfect match and helps the greenhouse to melt into its surroundings.

Case study answers by Andy Moore – Head Kitchen Gardener at THE PIG-at Harlyn Bay.

"The water container has always been very useful but now that I am too old to carry cans of water around it is an absolute godsend. The water is only collected from one side of the roof but it collects so much and lasts through weeks with meagre rainfall. My grand children love to pump the water and I always show it to everyone. Thank you."

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