The ITV Love Your Garden episode from Bicester, which aired on Tuesday, December 19, 2023, was of particular interest to the team at Orchard Ovens, as it featured one of our bespoke wood-fired pizza oven builds.
The garden makeover, planned by the Alan Titchmarsh led team, who wanted to reward homeowners, Mr and Mrs Robinson, for their charity work and work with the deaf community, was shown in great detail, as an overseas vibe was introduced into the Oxfordshire garden.
Very quickly into the programme, we spotted one of our build experts situating a first-class, refractory clay Valoriani oven, supplied by Orchard Ovens, on its base. This was a Valoriani Original 80 oven.
Bespoke pizza oven build for Love Your Garden homeowners
At this point, we suspect viewers believed that a terracotta coloured oven would feature in the centre of the garden. However, the action then showed the oven – built by artisans in Tuscany – being prepared as the centrepiece of a beautiful, traditional stone surround feature, complete with stone chimney.
Whilst Alan joked about Santa being potentially able to go down there, it became clear to viewers just how easy it is to create a first-class pizza oven feature as the hub of entertaining within the garden.
Although the credentials of this wood-fired oven, in terms of its superb materials, considered construction and incredible insulation, could not be explored, the very fact that an Orchard Ovens-supplied Valoriani oven was included in the show makeover, speaks volumes.
Notably, one of the TV team, David Domoney, has posted on social media and made his main photo one that features the oven. It is the feature to which all eyes are drawn.
The Love Your Garden team created a permanent walled seating area around the wood fired oven and added water features nearby, as well as including a lot of planting that helped to suggest an overseas environment.
Our only suggestion would have been to add a more clearly defined cooking zone, to allow for ingredients to be easily accessible and at hand for the chef. This can also allow more people to get involved in the cooking process.
In very easy serving distance from the oven, the makeover team also built a gazebo, in which dining could take place under both cover and shade. Thinking about the triangle between kitchen, oven and dining area is always important to us, when we plan a bespoke pizza oven build for a homeowner.
What was the pizza oven on Love Your Garden?
“It was an honour to be involved in such a worthwhile project and goes to show the trust, reputation and provenance of the Valoriani brand”” says Orchard Ovens’ owner, Andrew Manciocchi.
“Everyone is asking ‘what was the pizza oven on Love Your Garden?’ and so we have had a great reaction to the show’s airing already, especially as it has helped highlight exactly what we mean by a bespoke build. The oven itself is only the starting point. It’s what the imagination then creates around it that turns this into something spectacular and awe-inspiring within the garden.
Our Orchard Ovens’ team is anticipating a wave of enquiries on the back of the exposure, with the TV show having highlighted the garden oven specialist’s involvement in a social media post on X.
If it has ignited the enthusiasm of TV viewers for al fresco living and an outdoor lifestyle which includes cooking, it could be a great start to 2024 for all involved with Orchard Ovens.
Should you wish to plan a bespoke oven build – or just have at top-quality, ready-to-use starter oven in your garden in 2024, please call us on 01772 250000 or email andrew@orchardovens.co.uk
