Grown up garden Thursdays

Staff and volunteers at Arlington Court would like to invite any adults enjoying their summer holidays in North Devon to their garden demonstrations each Thursday in August.

With the summer holidays in full flow and lots of holiday makers in the area, August is traditionally the time of year set aside for families and children.

However, to give those without children a respite from busy roads and packed beaches, Arlington aims to become a peaceful refuge for those attempting to escape the crowds.

Kate Christmas, Visitor Services Officer at Arlington Court said: “Throughout the school holidays we have regular family activities – crafts on a Monday and ranger skills on a Wednesday and Friday. However, we've noticed that Thursday’s are our quietest days for families, so we thought we would put on something for the adults who visit instead.”

This time of year is the busiest for the outdoor teams and also when they get asked the most questions – such as how they manage to grow such an abundance of produce to what tools they use for certain tasks. They are also quizzed about the name of plants and how to avoid pest damage. The Thursday garden demonstrators will answer many of visitors’ most common queries and give the outdoor team a chance to share their top tips.

Sue Luker, a gardener at Arlington Court said: “The gardens at Arlington Court are at their best at this time of year. The herbaceous borders in the formal Victorian garden are in full bloom and the walled kitchen garden is producing more fruit, vegetables and flowers than we can keep up with.”

The demonstrations will highlight various different aspects of the gardens as well as the specific tasks the gardeners undertake. On Thursday 7 and 14 August there will be summer pruning of trained apples, a common task at this time of year. Thursday 21 August will explore wild gardening, and how native flowers, shrubs and trees are used to complement nature. Finally, on Thursday 28 August, there will be a demonstration of honey extraction by bee keeper (and Arlington Catering Manager) Mary Hews.

Mary said: “I rescued two swarms of bees earlier in the year and they have been busy collecting nectar and making honey. Now is the time to harvest the honey, using an extractor, which will be an interesting process for visitors to observe.”

All the demonstrations will be free, but normal admission prices to Arlington Court apply. National Trust members receive free entry. For more information call 01271 850296 or visit www.nationaltrust.org.uk/arlington-court.