Applecross Walled Garden

Today we stumbled across some old photos. We couldn't post them without sharing a small insight into our background story for our new followers...
In 2001 Jon and Elaine took on the Walled Garden of Applecross House, which was virtually derelict, overgrown and in desperate need of some TLC, after decades of neglect. With a small budget of just £3000, they began to restore the garden and opened a small tearoom, from which some of the proceeds would help fund the restoration. T...he challenge was immense but with help of volunteers, the battle against weeds began and the seeds of new life were planted. Over the years, our gardeners Peter and Jackie, and newer addition to the team, Heather, have worked tirelessly to maintain the garden you see today. Many hours spent in the cold, rain, or in the most testing of Mother Nature's forces, swarms of midgies, give us the peaceful haven where the likes of Enid Blyton may have felt inspired, full of quirky charm, yet with the garden's historic roots remaining firmly intact. The Gaelic name for Applecross is A'Chomraich, meaning 'The Sanctuary' - our garden is somewhat a sanctuary within The Sanctuary.
Meanwhile, inside the crumbling greenhouse you can see in one of the photos, the small tearoom would provide homemade cakes, cups of tea and occasionally an umbrella for the holes in the roof that hadn't quite been patched up. The amount of work Jon and Elaine have put into that little tearoom since then cannot be exaggerated. As their daughter, I have been able to see first hand just how much of their lives have been and still are dedicated to, not only creating their now beautifully unique restaurant, but a source of employment, providing steady work to locals as well as bringing new young people into our small, fragile community, and also providing an important space for leisure - now you can see too. They achieved all this whilst working second jobs and raising two girls. For Jon this has involved working daily on a fishing boat, which provides our fresh seafood, before swapping oilskins for chef whites every evening, and fulfilling various roles on community boards and council whilst Elaine did her time as a retained firefighter!
We also have an incredible team of staff who work extremely hard every year and who are vital to the running of the business as well as a brilliant community who support us every year.
So, here are 3 photos from 2001 and 3 photos from 2017!
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Heather has very kindly drawn our raffle today.
The helipad is very personal to Heather and she has taken charge of the fundraising due to the recent passing of her daughter Bethany, who had to be airlifted out of Applecross. She will continue to raise funds towards it in the hopes of increasing the speed at which others will get the needed help in an emergency.
We raised a whopping £715, which is amazing! Thank you so much to everyone who bought a ticket - we hope to run an...other one sometime in the near future.
Aaaannnd the lucky winner is......🥁🥁🥁🥁🥁....Glynis Padgett! Well done Glynis 👏👏👏
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LAST CHANCE FOR TICKETS, RAFFLE WILL BE DRAWN TOMORROW!
We have been made aware that some people had trouble paying as there was a problem with the link we shared. We are in the process of creating a new page and the link will be available tomorrow so you will be able to make your payment then - sorry for the inconvenience!
Message us if you wish to get some tickets before tomorrow.

At a loose end on a Friday night in Applecross? Head along to The Junction for a drink where you might be lucky enough to see our very own Bronwyn Glover performing at their brilliant open mic nights, alongside a number of other Applecross stars...Applecross has talent!🤩

From garden to glass...Walled Garden rhubarb fool👌🏼

An unwelcome guest paid a visit to do some voluntary taste testing of our veggies..!
This beautiful stag was bold as brass and continued nonchalantly with his all-you-can-eat breakfast, despite Anthony's attempts to show him the to the exit🦌🦌

We will be drawing the raffle next Friday (10th May). Get your tickets to be in with the chance of winning a meal for 2 with a bottle of wine!
In aid of the Applecross helipad - see our page for more details on this important cause.

UPDATE: THIS PRIZE IS A MEAL FOR TWO + WINE! How do you fancy winning a 3 course meal for 2 AND a bottle of wine with us?! Send us a message or pop in if you wish to buy a raffle ticket! The winner will be drawn on FRIDAY! This is our first raffle to raise money for the Applecross helipad fund - we hope to hold one regularly.
❣ In Applecross, we are fundraising for a helipad for the Air Ambulance. Applecross is a remote community, and due to the landscape and the number of ca...rs visiting in the summer months it has become difficult for the Air Ambulance to land. Currently there is nowhere for it to land quickly and safely to ensure a speedy journey to the nearest hospital, which takes approximately 35 minutes by air, but up to 2 hours by road - buying vital, potentially life saving time. It is a cause very close to the hearts of our team and is extremely important for the whole community, locals and tourists alike. ❣
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Check out our new veggie/vegan platter! We have plenty other options for vegans and vegetarians too so make sure to pop in and see us🌍

From Friday...new additions to our menu! Come along and try 🥰

We have some new additions to our WG team...meet Ginger and Spots! Great day learning all about these intelligent wee guys from lovely Gill (waitress/crofter/pig enthusiast/legend)💚
Our beautiful new Walled Garden KuneKune piggies have settled into their new home on Gill's croft in Culduie, although they are likely to have the occasional Walled Garden day out....stay tuned for updates on their adventures!!

If you visit Applecross regularly please consider donating to this life saving cause. 😊❤️x

Bank holiday weekend is upon us and the weather is beautiful, which can only mean one thing...GIN! Join us over the weekend for a wee drink in the sunshine💛
#Applecross #nc500 #bealachnaba #restaurant #scottishgin #gin #sunshine #scotland #highlands

A couple of pictures from the shop/deli which we are in the process of stocking with lots of lovely goodies. From fresh bread and sweet treats to delicious savouries, we hope to have everything you need for a hassle-free picnic!😋

Applecross photographic gallery is now on summer hours 🌞☀️🌈📸🖼😁

🌱This one's for the vegetarians, vegans and those with a gluten-free diet! (And anyone else who fancys it, of course...)
🌱Broccoli and lentil muffins with curried sweet potato puree, salted new potatoes and veggie gravy😋😋
#Applecross #restaurant #vegetarian #nc500 #bealachnaba

Apologies to anyone trying to get through to us on the ph s today. Our phone is broken but hopefully will be up and running again soon.