The Secret Altura Garden

At Altura restaurant, we receive beautiful local greens from a number of sources, but sometimes it's satisfying to reach to your own garden for a sprig of mint or bright array of flowers. The garden located in Nathan and Rebecca Lockwood's backyard is a wonderful opportunity to not only harvest a number of herbs and greens at an economic price, but to also have confidence in the handling and raising of the produce. 

Like many things at Altura, the garden is a group effort. Though Nathan and Rebecca maintain the garden year-round, the entire front and back of house teams chip in to plant the radishes, corn, herbs, and edible flowers that will soon garnish the plates of the restaurant. We had a garden party at the Lockwoods' house this spring, and already we have enjoyed the bounty, including nepitella mint and easter egg radishes.

Servers Debbie Roberts, Forrest Foster, and Rachel La Bouve (left to right) do some planting.

 If you come in to the restaurant now, you will find that the Nasturtium--an herbaceous, flowering plant--along with other edible flowers and greens--can be found in the fresh spring salad. A number of herbs, primarily nepitella mint, garnish everything from pastas to desserts and are also grown in the garden.

Rachel and Debbie (left) enjoy a break for champagne, and busser Alejandro (right) makes way for the corn.

As summer continues to unfold, more produce will emerge from the garden; in a matter of weeks, we will also be adding red mustard greens, yellow wax beans, green string beans, summer squashes, and squash blossoms.

To the left, a glimpse of the full garden; on the right is Pinot, the Lockwoods' beautiful dog.

The garden is just one more way that Altura enjoys throwing in a personal touch (and investment) to the restaurant. Thanks for taking a tour with us!