Sustainability
Rooted in Iona
Being on a small island makes you particularly aware of where things come from. At St Columba, we’re fortunate to be surrounded by an incredible natural larder. From the vegetables, herbs and botanicals growing in our organic garden to seafood caught in the waters around Iona, we try to make the most of what is available close to home.
For us, sustainability is about working with the island rather than simply operating on it. That means growing what we can, sourcing locally wherever possible, reducing unnecessary journeys and supporting the people and producers who make Iona and the surrounding area what it is.
From our garden
Just a short walk from the hotel, our extensive organic gardens play an important part in life at St Columba.
Certified organic by the Soil Association since 2008, they provide our kitchen with seasonal vegetables, herbs, fruit and edible flowers throughout the growing season. What is ready to harvest helps shape what appears on the menu, keeping the journey from garden to kitchen remarkably short.
We also keep beehives in the gardens, producing pure Iona honey each year. Seaweed gathered locally is used as a natural fertiliser, continuing a traditional island practice and returning something from the surrounding landscape back to the soil.
It’s a working garden, but also one we love sharing with our guests. Take a wander during your stay and see what’s growing.
From Garden to glass
Not everything grown in our garden ends up on a plate. Many of the botanicals used to create our St Columba spirits begin life here too, giving the bottles on our shelves their own connection to Iona.
Our rhubarb is also put to good use in our spirits, another example of making the most of what can be grown here on the island.
From something planted in the garden to something poured at the bar, the journey can be surprisingly short.
From the sound to the kitchen
Our garden isn’t our only local larder. Surrounded by clear Atlantic waters, Iona gives our chefs access to exceptionally fresh seafood caught around the island. The room folder even notes that guests may spot the Iona Seafood boat Amaranth out on the Sound or landing its catch at the pier. From where the catch comes ashore to our kitchen is only around a five-minute walk. Few food journeys are much shorter than that.
Alongside our island seafood, we work with local suppliers wherever possible, including lamb and venison from the Isle of Mull and trout from Loch Etive. Together with produce from our garden, it allows our chefs to create food that has a genuine connection to the landscape around us.
Keeping it local at the st columba larder
Our approach to local sourcing continues across the road at the St Columba Larder. Alongside our own St Columba spirits, the shelves are filled with a carefully chosen selection of Iona gifts, Scottish food and drink, homeware, textiles, books and crafts. For us, keeping things local isn't only about reducing the distance something has travelled. It's also about supporting independent makers and producers and giving visitors the opportunity to discover something made on Iona or elsewhere in Scotland. It means a visit to the Larder can be another small way to support the wider community that surrounds us.
Caring for the island we call home
As a small business operating within a beautiful but fragile island environment, we’re always looking for practical ways to reduce our impact and care for the place we call home. Food waste that can be used in our gardens is composted, while cardboard, paper, batteries, cans, plastic and glass are recycled. Guests can choose when their linen and towels are changed, helping us reduce unnecessary water and energy use.
We also use an electric hotel vehicle, supplement water heating with solar panels, use long-life LED lighting wherever possible and continue to prioritise local meat, fish and seafood. From garden to kitchen, Sound to plate and island producer to Larder shelf, these individual choices help us support the local community, make the most of what can be grown, caught and made close to home, and leave a lighter footprint on Iona.