Food leftovers are composted, and this fall, Fairmont became the first hotel company to formally commit to serving wherever possible sustainable, organically grown products, from biodynamic wines to seasonings from their in-house herb gardens.
The resulting organic gunge becomes the soil in which the house's herbs are grown.
The imagery about living in a house "made of herbs and wood" was less important.
David Sloan, owner of Herbs House, a Seattle medical and recreational dispensary, said that in January his bank, Salal Credit Union, quickly sent out an email assuring customers that it was still operating as usual and that it would let its customers know if anything changed.
EXCELLENT ATMOSPHERE Dining areas gleam in a beautifully appointed country house surrounded by herb and flower gardens and woodlands.
Back near the house is the herb garden, which in May was bright with woad, a yellow flower that produces blue dye.
The changes keep coming; this month the Herb House opens, a state-of-the-art spa with swimming and hydrotherapy pools, eight treatment rooms, saunas, a hammam, steam room and fully equipped gym.
Regulars find themselves irresistibly drawn to the 'huge' hand-dived scallops, served with Stornoway black pudding and bacon and leek sauce, and a fish platter served with the house sauce of herb and shallot cream.
With meticulous appreciation, she described the espaliered avenue of figs leading to 'a most charming little summer house', apple-coloured fence, herb garden, rambling roses.
For example, the evening starts with "Creativity, Today's Inspiration" (right): a savory lamb bacon (smoked and cured in-house) consommé poured over herbs, snipped moments before from the dining room's wall garden.
