Coutts, the wealth management arm of the Royal Bank of Scotland group, has officially unveiled an abundant urban kitchen garden atop its iconic London headquarters on The Strand.

The garden, consisting of over 9,000 organic plants including vegetables, fruit, herbs and edible flowers, is 30 metres above street level, with views directly over the National Gallery and St Martins-in-the-Fields.

But the “Skyline Garden” doesn’t just offer spectacular views and a unexpected oasis of greenery in the heart of the capital – the onus is very much on using the produce grown there. “We can honestly say that all of our recipes contain some element of the garden and we cook using the produce that is ready, from lemon verbena to flavour the crème brûlée to edible flowers to decorate the plate,” said Peter Fiori, the bank’s executive chef. As might be expected, exclusivity is as much a theme as environmentalism, and the garden will produce hard-to-find treats like white Alpine strawberries.

The initiative is also noteworthy because the bespoke wooden planters used in the garden were made by offenders at HMP High Down. This was put together with the Clink Charity, an organisation which aims to reduce re-offending by giving prisoners skills and qualifications.

“A disused and unsightly space on a roof in central London has been turned into a sustainable, ecological, socially responsible area benefitting the environment. The hard work, devotion and passion of Peter and his team, the connection with the Clink Charity and the delight, surprise and engagement of our clients and staff have made this a compelling and enduring project,” said Ian Ewart, head of products, services and marketing at Coutts.

The Skyline Garden may have only just been officially opened, but your glamorous correspondent has been lucky enough to have already sampled its produce - Coutts’ clients and bankers can have Ms Moneta’s assurance that it tastes every bit as good as it looks.