Tucked into the folds of the Mendip Hills, THE PIG-near Bath is a mellow country house surrounded by a kitchen garden that hums with life, not far from our base in Claverton. This is no ordinary garden—it’s the heart of the hotel, home to fruit cages, a smokehouse, and row upon row of seasonal produce. Beyond the kitchen garden, buzzing beehives, a herd of fallow deer, and a couple of Kunekune pigs add to the charm of this countryside retreat.

Everything here revolves around a simple but ambitious philosophy: to use what they can grow, rear, or source within a 25-mile radius. In this video, we join Zack, THE PIG-near Bath’s Head Gardener, for a tour of the kitchen garden that makes it all possible. Zack explains the four-plot crop rotation system that keeps their soil healthy and the plants thriving, as well as the diverse harvest being nurtured—from thornless blackberries to Jerusalem artichokes and winter kale. He also highlights a patch of winter tarragon, which thrives beneath a trio of our square cloches, shielding the hardy perennial herb from the winter frost.

Central to the success of this kitchen garden is the close partnership between the gardeners and chefs. Zack describes how the two teams work in unison, sharing ideas and planning menus around what’s flourishing in the garden. Whether it’s Jerusalem artichokes destined for a seasonal soup or fresh herbs grown specifically for cocktails, this collaboration ensures that every dish is deeply rooted in the garden’s produce. The result is a menu that changes with the micro seasons, capturing the best of what the land has to offer at any given moment.

Watch our video to discover how Zack and team at THE PIG-near Bath brings their ethos to life, creating a space where the land, kitchen, and community work in harmony.