Harriet Russell speaks to Caryn Hibbert about making Thyme that special oasis in the heart of the Cotswolds.

"...Everything we do illustrates our love of the land is really unique to us." - Caryn Hibbert

“Bamford, Calcot Manor and Barnsley House are all well established, but it is Thyme, a verdant and exquisitely manicured 150-acre manor, that elicits the most joyous of exhales”.

August 26th - 28th is the final hurrah of the summer holiday months, before it’s back to work, and the golden autumn days slowly begin to creep in.

Lauren is a lifestyle content editor with a focus on family, food, travel and all life’s simple pleasures.

We welcomed Lauren to Thyme this summer, where she was transported to the tranquil, corner of our Meadow Spa to experience the Botanical Bothy Signature Ritual.

This summer, we were delighted to welcome Abbie, a freelance lifestyle, interiors, editorial and travel photographer, back to Thyme. Throughout her stay, Abbie captured the true essence and raw natural beauty of Thyme. So here, we walk you through the lens of Abbie Melle.

Did you know that a runner bean is actually a fruit? Part of the Fabracea family of plants, Phaseolus coccineus - Scarlet emperor is a legume which originated in the mountains of South America where it grows as a perennial.

“Long praised for its culinary offerings, the Cotswolds retreat Thyme has fast become a draw for interior-design lovers. Featuring an oxen barn, handmade ceramics, bespoke bedrooms and scenic vegetable patches, the hotel has reinvented itself as a feast for the eyes as well as the stomach”.

Since Thyme was founded in 2008 as a Cookery School, we have always had productive gardens. It was an essential part of our founding ethos – to slow down and reconnect with nature.

Continuing to ring true to Thyme’s agricultural heritage and founding ethos, the cottage has been carefully curated with a warm, welcoming and earthy colour palette reminiscent of the delicious vegetables that readily inspire our plates, while playfully adding a sense of sophistication and charm to each of the rooms.

Situated adjacent to the water meadows of the river Leach, our kitchen gardens are a joy. With tranquil views, we often see the barn owls hunting throughout the day, kites and buzzards soaring overhead, white egrets and herons, snipe, teal and mallard and sometimes a flash of the brightest blue kingfisher.

Flower essences work deeply and gently bringing positive and effective change to our lives. They act as catalysts, bringing awareness and shifting patterns enabling you to move forward in a safe, natural and simple way.

At Thyme, our radishes are bursting out of the ground in great abundance and if you’ve never roasted a radish, now is the time to try. It’s surprisingly delicious. This salad can be made in advance – actually, it gets a bit better with time, because the onions have time to mellow a little. It works well as a light lunch for 2 or a side for 4 people.

A pavé, literally meaning cobblestone, is a square of layered and pressed potato, fried until crisp. The potato pavé crops up on many different plates throughout the year. This late summer combination is probably one of the best.

There is nothing that says summer quite like a perfectly ripe tomato grown at home. We have grown many heirloom varieties in a stunning array of colours and tastes - sweet, striped, black, green, acidic.

‘The home that became a masterclass in Cotswolds living’.

How Caryn Hibbert turned a bucolic country retreat into a holistic – and lifestyle – destination.