Welcome to the Garden’s latest newsletter, if you’d like to receive it directly to your inbox, register here.
See the full newsletter here.
–
Antiques Weekend
A vast cornucopia of curios and collectibles is set to transform the National Botanic Garden of Wales – as the Derwen Antiques Fair prepares to return – as well as BBC’s Bargain Hunt returning to film over the weekend.
Antiques, collectables, retro and vintage will take centre stage among the rare and endangered blooms here on Saturday and Sunday 27th and 28th of January.
The Derwen Fairs flagship event has increased from just 23 stalls in the early days, to more than 100 dotted around the site including Theatr Botanica, the Garden Marquee and the impressive Regency-era Principality House.
Doggy Weekend
As well as hosting another fabulous Antiques Weekend over the weekend of the 27th and 28th of January, the Garden will also be a venue for a Doggy Weekend!
Bring your pet pooch for some of Carmarthenshire’s best fresh air!
A full list of Doggy Day rules can be seen here. Dogs are permitted in Y Pot Blodyn’s coffee shop, the Seasons Restaurant, the Gift Shop and the main concourse of the Great Glasshouse.
Dogs are not permitted on the Great Glasshouse’s inner paths, the Butterfly House, nor the children’s play area. Extendable leads are not permitted, you can swap yours for a non-extendable lead at the main entrance.
The Garden and the fair are open from 10am to 4.30pm (last entry is 3.30pm). Admission to the Garden is only £4, with free parking.
For more information about this event and other Garden events, call 01558 667149 or email info@gardenofwales.org.uk
For more info about Derwen Antiques, visit www.derwenantiques.co.uk
Keep Fit – For FREE!
Don’t miss the last week of FREE entry on weekdays in January, and the opportunity to keep fit with a choice of walks, with plenty of plants and wildlife to enjoy on the way. Pick up a ‘Fit For Free‘ trails leaflet at the main entrance on your way in, or take a look here to plan your visit beforehand.
Why not crack on with those new year resolutions and burn some unwanted calories against the stunning backdrop of 568 acres of National Botanic Garden?
We have created a series of trails around the Garden – some on flat paths to suit strollers, pushchairs and wheelchairs; and some more rugged, off-road routes around the estate.
The various trails are clearly way-marked and there’s a free map to accompany you on your journey – and each route has a ‘cupcake’ rating that indicates the degree of difficulty.
If you enjoy this way of staying healthy, think about taking a year’s membership so that you can keep coming in for free for the rest of the year.
St Dwynwen’s Day
Bring your loved one for a romantic stroll around the Garden’s lakes, and a coffee in the Great Glasshouse‘s Med Café, on the day of the patron saint of Welsh lovers – entry is completely FREE!
FREE Talk
There’s a chance to cheer up the chilly winter days of January by hearing tales of botanical derring-do from around the world.
International modern-day plant explorers will be giving talks at the National Botanic Garden of Wales on three consecutive Fridays at 12 noon – the talks are free and admission to the Garden is free, too.
Guardian columnist Robbie Blackhall-Miles completes the trio of intrepid horticultural hunters on January 26 with a talk entitled ‘Hunting Shapeshifters: the search for Proteas in the mountains of South Africa’. Robbie is a plantsman and conservationist. Fossil Plants, his backyard botanic garden in North Wales, houses a collection of early evolutionary plants.
The talk starts at 12 noon in the Garden’s Theatr Botanica. For more information, call 01558 667149, email info@gardenofwales.org.uk or visit https://gardenofwales.wpenginepowered.com
Snowdrop Weekend
Come and explore our mile of snowdrops and get tips on growing and caring for your collection from snowdrop expert and self-confessed galanthophile, Naomi Slade, on Saturday and Sunday, February 3-4.
Refloxology at the Garden
Did you know the Garden has a reflexology studio?
Based within the Wallace Garden, Llawenydd is run by experienced refloxoligst, Jody Evans.
Reflexology is the science that deals with the principle that there are reflex areas in the feet and hands that correspond to all glands and organs of the body. Stimulating these reflexes properly can help many health problems in a natural way.
Reflexology treatment normally lasts an hour, with a medical consultation taken before treatment.
For more information including appointment availability, please contact Jody Evans on 07766043237 or llawenyddjody@gmail.com