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February – What’s On
Upcoming dates to note in your diary…
1 February
Welly Wednesday – Fun activities for preschoolers and their grown-ups!
3 February
Star Party – 6-9pm – £3 Entry
4 February
Willow course – making frame baskets for beginners. £35 (£30 concession) book with the Education Department – 01558 667150
6 February
Doggy Day – Bring your dog for a walk around the Garden
8 February
Welly Wednesday – Fun activities for preschoolers and their grown-ups!
11 February
Winter Pruning Fruit Trees Course – £35 (£30 concession) book with the Education Department – 01558 667150
11-12 February
Doggy Weekend – A special weekend for you and your dog
12 February
Felting course – creative felting – £35 (£30 concession) book with the Education Department – 01558 667150
13 February
Doggy Day – Bring your dog for a walk around the Garden
14 February
Members’ Coffee Morning & Talk by Dr Jenny Macpherson – Members Only
Call 01558 667118 for more information.
15 February
Welly Wednesday – Fun activities for preschoolers and their grown-ups!
HALF TERM – 18-26 February
Half Term Activities:
Bug Encounters, Luke Jugglestruck, astronomy activities, rocket-making workshops and giant Garden games!
20 February
Doggy Day – Bring your dog for a walk around the Garden
25 February
Digital photography course – Part 1 of 3 – £35 (£30 concession) book with the Education Department – 01558 667150
26 February
St David’s Day Celebration Day – FREE entry for everyone!
Craft & Food Fair & Carmarthen Spinners
26 February
Felting course – felted flowers – £35 (£30 concession) book with the Education Department – 01558 667150
27 February
Doggy Day – Bring your dog for a walk around the Garden
28 February
St David’s Day Celebration with Menter Cwm Gwendraeth Elli
Snowdrop Weekend
Snowdrops are the centre of attention for a special weekend devoted to these pretty, delicate harbingers of spring – taking place at the National Botanic Garden of Wales on February 4th & 5th.
Galanthophile and horticulture expert Naomi Slade will be our very special guide for this two-day celebration and will lead us on a tour of the Garden’s snowdrop hotspots. She will also give a talk on growing your own plants, their interesting origins and taking a look at using them in the garden. She will also be signing copies of her book, The Plant Lover’s Guide to Snowdrops.
The talks will be held at 11:30am on both days, in Theatr Botanica, with the tours starting from there at 2pm.
A self-led trail around the various snowdrop highlights is also available to visitors in the run-up to the weekend event as well as on the 4th and 5th.
And there will be family activities that weekend, too, with lots of snowdrop-related crafts, fun and games for children and families.
Snowdrop Weekend is on from 10am until 4.30pm on both days. All snowdrop-related activities are included in the Garden admission price.
Entry is FREE for Garden members and parking is FREE for all.
The Garden is open 10am to 4.30pm and last entry is at 3.30pm.
For more information about this or other events, visit our website, call 01558 667149 or email info@gardenofwales.org.uk
* Look out for Naomi talking about snowdrops on Gardeners’ World when it starts again in March. She is also frequently heard on radio and she contributes regularly to many national newspapers and magazines, including The Guardian, The Telegraph, Kitchen Garden Magazine, House and Garden and the official organ of the Royal Horticultural Society, The Garden.
Star Party
On Friday, February 3rd, the Swansea Astronomical Society are hosting the latest National Botanic Garden of Wales stargazing event from 6pm- 9pm.
All the action, including a talk, takes place in and around the Great Glasshouseand, given clear skies, you could see our ‘nearest’ neighbours, the Andromeda Galaxy and our own Moon. The latter will be nearly half-full and should offer us some fantastic views of the craters around the terminator (the twilight zone on the Moon between ‘day’ and ‘night’).
There will be a talk on the subject of Sun, How to safely observe it, Sun-Spots, etc., by Brian Spinks of the Swansea Astronomical Society. This should offer an excellent introduction to some of the Astronomy Activities planned for theFebruary half-term.
We will be showing a variety of Telescopes and Binoculars, including those suitable for youngsters and beginners. So an excellent opportunity to see and discuss for yourself what you might buy. And bring your own ‘scopes as well – especially if you want help and advice as to how to use them.
The talk starts around 7pm and will be repeated later as required.
Access is via the ‘Corporate’ or ‘back’ entrance and admission is £3 for adults with under 16s free. There will be refreshment available.
Doggy Day
This coming Monday will again see the Garden welcoming visitors and their four-legged-friends.
Dogs must be kept on a non-extendable lead at all times and, due to the rare and valuable plants and butterflies, are not permitted into the Butterfly House.
Due to popular demand the Garden has monthly Doggy Weekends planned for the upcoming months, with February’s being held on the 10th & 11th .
Don’t forget, through the winter season – every Monday is Doggy Day!
Welly Wednesday
Welly Wednesday features an hour of fun, outdoor activities, storytelling and exploring for pre-schoolers and is a great way for parents to get their toddlers close to nature with 60 minutes of fun in the woods with water and mud – whatever the weather!
Activities start at 11am from the Gatehouse, normal entry price applies to adults and children under 5 years old are free.
For more information, contact the Education Department on 01558 667150.