We have enjoyed some proper spring days in the garden recently and are hoping that they will be more frequent during April.  The garden is full of spring bulbs, birdsong and emerging fresh foliage of all shapes and sizes.

The rain held off for our NGS Day and we would like to thank everyone who came along to support us.  Delicious refreshments were supplied by volunteers from Cancer Research UK who unfailingly deliver service with a smile. 

As many of you are aware, Bates Green Garden is an RHS Partner Garden which means that RHS members can get free admission on Wednesdays when the Garden is open.  Their annual Partner Garden of the Year Competition opens on 10^th April, and we are very excited to be involved. Taking a walk in a garden surrounded by the sights, scents and sounds of nature has been shown to have a positive impact on both physical and mental wellbeing. That’s why the theme of this year’s competition is “Feel Good”.

If you have enjoyed your time in Bates Green Garden (or just seeing our pictures and videos across our social media channels and in this newsletter), then we want to know! We’d love it if you could vote for us as your favourite RHS Partner Garden when voting opens on the 10 April. All voters in the competition will be entered into a prize draw to win a pair of tickets to the RHS Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival in 2025 with a luxury two-night stay close to the showground as a thank you for their show of support.

You can find out more information on the RHS Partner Garden of the Year competition on their website: rhs.org.uk/pgoty

We have almost finalised the details for our series of summer Thursday workshops at Bates Green Garden.  Our idea is that we maximise the use of the Garden, Wildflower Meadow and Wood by offering mini-retreat days so that you can take full advantage of privacy, peace and tranquility. 

Courses on offer will include sound baths, singing, yoga, all manner of woodland walks, sketch-booking, somatic movement and walking meditation as well as horticultural technique classes. Participants will be invited to bring a packed lunch if they wish to eat with the Gardens Team and can then spend the afternoon here in seclusion. 

Full details will be put on the website later in April and the workshops will commence on Thursday 23^rd May with a Bird Song Identification morning led by Sarah Wilesmith who has been running courses for adults and children in Beatons Wood for over a decade.

I thought you might like to see the art installation created by our student, Emma Lindsay, who will herself be leading a couple of different events this year.  Emma was tasked with making use of the sculptural lichen covered branches that we removed as part of our annual pruning.  We love it!