April 2011 ONWARDS
Enjoy spectacular blooms at Wakehurst Spring Flower Weekends!
When England is not raining, snowing or being buffeted by gales, it is one of the world's loveliest places, this sceptred isle, this realm that is England! Its gardens and countryside are justly famous and though I love Malaysian flora, I also adore English flowers and plants so different and alien to ours. So are their landscaping and garden lay-outs which are a delight to all our senses. So if you happen to be in England from now onwards, do visit Wakehurst Place, a grand country mansion owned by Kew Gardens located in West Sussex. You will thank me profusely for it!
Two special Spring Flower Weekends are being held at Wakehurst Place, Kew’s country estate in West Sussex, to celebrate the beauty of the season.
Strolling through a sea of bluebells
Daffodils are among spring's most beloved and beautiful blooms
An English spring afternoon
A bank of crocuses is a pretty sight
The lush rhododendron bushes are more spring summer.
English river view can be so enchanting and picturesque!
Wakehurst Place in West Sussex, England in spring and summer.
Clementines
Exploring the grand walled gardens of Wakehurst Place, Kew's country estate in West Sussex
So soothing to the soul!
Te combination of a cold winter, followed by a warm spring, has lead to a spectacular display of seasonal flowers at the gardens at Ardingly, near Haywards Heath.
Crocuses are brilliantly hued.
Guided walks are being held this weekend (April 29 to May 2) and minibus tours on May 7 and 8 to help visitors make the most of the sights and scents of spring.
Snowdrops are heralds of spring
An information stand in the Visitor Centre will provide information on where to see the best of the spring blooms and plants of special interest to look out for.
Highlights will include camellias, rhododendrons in Westwood Valley, ladies smock in Bethlehem Wood, plus flowering shrubs and an abundance of woodland wildflowers around the 500 acre estate.
Andy Jackson, Head of Wakehurst Place, said: “Our spring flowers are looking absolutely stunning, it is one of the best displays for years. The cold winter held back some plants and the warm spring has brought forward others, so everything has come together in a real riot of colours. There have also been no air frosts, which is unusual.”
T
The Mansion
The Stables restaurant
Field study Centre
Children studying wildlife in Field Study Centre
Dates and details as follows:
Friday April 29, Sat April 30, Sun May 1, Mon May 2 Guided walks at 11.30am and 2pm each day, no booking required.
Saturday May 7 and Sunday May 8 Minibus tours to enable people with mobility problems to enjoy spring flowers around the lakes, woodlands and other parts of the estate which are not normally accessible by wheelchair. The tours will run from 10am to 3.30pm, no booking required.
Other forthcoming events during May at Wakehurst include:
May 1 to end October - Out of the Wildwood, exhibition marking the International Year of Forests
An exhibition showcasing the beauty and versatility of wood is being held in the timber framed exhibition area close to Kew’s Millennium Seed Bank. The exhibition will feature items made by craftsmen and women from materials harvested from Wakehurst’s woodlands, and marks the International Year of Forests and Wakehurst securing Forest Stewardship Council certification for the sustainable management of its woodlands.
A mix of traditional and contemporary designs will be on show, including spoon carving, oak swill baskets, turned bowls, coppice products, and hedgerow and birch bark baskets.
Monday May 30 to Friday June 3 - Half term activities - Globetrotting
Activities relating to trees with a globetrotting theme to take you around the world. Daily 10.30am to 3.30pm, £2 including activities and crafts (Normal admission charges apply, under 17s go free)
Wakehurst Place is the country estate of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, and home to formal gardens, natural woodlands, nature reserves, and a sixteenth century mansion. Kew’s Millennium Seed Bank, located at Wakehurst, is the largest wild plant seed collection in the world. The Royal Botanic Gardens Kew and its partners have collected and conserved seed from 10% of the world’s wild flowering plant species (c. 30,000 species) and aim to conserve 25% by 2020.
Wakehurst is on the B2028 between Ardingly and Turners Hill (Junction 10 off the M23), West Sussex, RH17 6TN and open every day from 10am, except December 24 and 25. For more information ring 01444 894067 or visit www.kew.org.
No comments:
Post a Comment