Plot to Plate: Summer at Snowdon Accommodation Service

Cooking up a storm in the kitchen is a regular occurrence at Snowdon house, with service users independently sourcing ingredients and preparing food. One resident enjoys the simple pleasures of subtle seasoning, such as garlic with meat and even on fried eggs. This inspired the idea of a herb garden as a fun way to promote nutrition by using one’s own produce to season meals. Subsequently, chive and thyme plant pots were purchased from Sainsbury’s by a staff member and re-potted during a one to one activity. Snowdon’s vegetable plot was born!

Slug populations were reported to be particularly invasive this year in the UK, due to spring being wetter than average, and warm, creating an ideal environment for them. As a result the chives received a generous haircut and the thyme was eaten completely by these creatures.

With plans to expand to a vegetable garden, pest control was researched and invested in. Of course this had to be environmentally-friendly and organic with all the wildlife that inhabit the garden! Including the local hedgehog who pays frequent visits to its hut which was constructed at Snowdon in 2022, topped up now and again with dry food. Wool pellets were placed in the plant pots, in addition to copper tape and crushed egg shells used by a resident; which seem to have kept the slugs and snails at bay.

In season seedlings were purchased at a local plant sale and garden centre by staff. One resident regularly – over the course of a month – put on his gardening gloves and participated in potting these up into larger planters, so they had room to grow. Taking great care mixing in together the compost and perlite – a volcanic material which improves drainage and water retention in the soil. He also broke holes in the bottom of pots where necessary to prevent the compost from becoming overly saturated.

Nurturing these with a watering can, he attended to the vegetable plants which are leeks, broccoli, tomatoes, aubergine, courgettes, chilli, and peppers. Making use of the natural materials in the wider garden, canes were cut from Snowdon’s bamboo bush to support the tomatoes and beans. Despite being chomped on at the start, just like magic the beanstalk grew to great heights, and has flourished with small flowers.

In bloom, ripe and ready to harvest at current are the beef tomatoes and runner beans. The tomatoes have already been used in a meat and vegetable casserole soup, cooked by and shared by half of the service users. Picked beans have been marinated with butter and black pepper – used as a side with fish fillets, and potatoes. Smaller sun blushed tomatoes, yet to turn red, will be used on halloumi skewers at Snowdon’s BBQ this August.

The resident who led growing the vegetables said that the gardening activity had been therapeutic – having a chat in the sunshine whilst observing nature. Gardening is greatly beneficial to wellbeing for various reasons, and it’s been a joy facilitating this during summer at Snowdon.