LANDLADY Melanie Thornton is turning over a new leaf at The Appletree Country Inn. Bar Talk has discovered that the award-winning pub now has fruit, vegetables and herbs growing in its garden.

The pub and restaurant at Marton, near Pickering, now has more than one acre of greenery and industrious boss Melanie hopes to be largely self sufficient in two years.

Melanie and her chef fella TJ Drew, who took over the business two years ago, already create their own bread, ice cream, biscuits, chocolates, jams and chutneys to sell from their shop counter.

For all these efforts, Melanie has been named businesswoman of the year in the annual Publican awards, touted as the Oscars of the licensed trade.

The pub was also highly commended for its customer service and in the Free House of the Year category.

Congratulations. We raise a glass, and maybe even a spade, to your success.

u LES Routiers Pubs and Inns Guide 2003 landed on our desk this week. Les is a busy man having personally chosen 450 British boozers for the best food and accommodation.

The £12.50 guide includes no fewer than 33 North Yorkshire hostelries (including the Appletree Inn), although none hail from York.

Just to emphasise what a terrific area this is for grub pubs, the guide has a behind the scenes look at "two of Britain's top dining pubs": and both are in North Yorkshire, the Star Inn, Harome, and the Angel Inn, Hetton.

Of the former, Les writes: "For all its fine dining and gourmet dinners, it's possible to have a terrific lunch at The Star and still have change from a tenner."

uNOTHING is finer than a cool, relaxing pint in the beer garden of a traditional English country pub after work - and now could be the perfect time to enjoy the opportunity while you can.

When the sun comes out, the good old beer garden could be the place to be.

And in the rural outpost of Askham Richard, the Rose And Crown offers the perfect tranquil location, with a beer garden - at the front of the pub - overlooking the village lake.

Okay, lake might be pushing the boundaries of journalistic licence, but it is still a relaxing setting, hidden away from the hustle and the bustle of city life, and is ideal to enjoy a quiet pint (or soft drink if you are driving).

As well as a nice pint of Sam Smith's bitter, the Rose And Crown sells traditional pub grub.

It might be a slight drive, but the escape to the country makes it all the more worthwhile.

u WALKING and drinking is a skill many of us have perfected though years of practise, but an upcoming festival promises to take the simple art to the next level.

Those friendly people at the Black Sheep Brewery at Masham are inviting you, yes you, to their Boots And Beer Walking Festival in September.

The three-day celebration of putting one foot in front of the other may appear quite macho, but it sounds a bit more sandals and real ale to us than hiking boots and whisky.

There are trails in Upper Wensleydale for a wide range of fitness and experience levels from garden-gate amblers to serious hill walkers.

The organisers are laying on back-up, checkpoints and sweepers for safety, but Bar Talk can't confirm rumours of St Bernard dogs with barrels of best bitter under their chins patrolling the routes.

A full weekend of entertainment from September 12 costs £30 which includes the £15 boots and beer bash on Saturday night with a two-course supper and barrels of Black Sheep. Call 0191 516 5776 for details.

u STOP press... the new look at Thomas's on Museum Street, York, is nearly finished and it will re-open at 11am on Friday. The good folk there have offered Bar Talk a free lunch. We love it already.

Updated: 09:38 Saturday, June 07, 2003