Visitors to Hever Castle will be able to learn how to create a dye garden, discover the funghi that grow in the grounds and take part in a variety of workshops and walks as part of Autumn Colour at Hever Castle in October.
Each Wednesday, the gardening team will run a workshop focusing on the seasonal colour in the gardens, which were created by William Waldorf Astor at the turn of the 20th Century.
These will include a visit to the dahlia border on 4 October, a container garden workshop with head gardener Neil Miller on 11 October, and a tree-mendous tree tour with gardener Darren on 18 October.
On Friday, 13 October, botanical artist and gardener Felix Green will be showcasing the newly created ‘dye garden’, sharing tips on the best plants to grow for dye harvesting and textile use and how to create your own.
He says:
“Every plant has a wonderful colour to it, and learning how we can use them is good for the environment and for our gardens at home, and also takes our own plant knowledge one step beyond. It will definitely bring a new dimension to Hever Castle.”
Neil is keen to showcase the colour on the estate, where visitors can explore 150 acres of formal gardens, roam around Lake Walk, find solace in Anne Boleyn’s Walk and create dens on Woodland Walk:
“We’ve thought long and hard about how colourful the grounds are and how visitors can take some of this colourful knowledge home with them, be it through a colourful container filled with vibrant winter plants and bulbs ready to pop in the spring, or by creating their own dye-garden.
Our younger visitors can learn the tree facts that are dotted through the grounds and around Lake Walk. And our popular annual autumn trail will be available for visitors who we know love to walk beneath the turning trees at this time of year.”
All activities are included in the admission price, and the self-guided autumn tour is available from the information hut from 1 – 31st October. Visit the Hever Castle website for more information.
