Press Release

'Tree-mendous' half-term activities at Kew's Country Garden

Get out in the countryside and get arty this half term!

Wakehurst Place, Kew's country garden near Haywards Heath, West Sussex, is staging a series of ‘Tree-mendous' art activities as part of the national Big Draw festival.

On October 28, 29 and 30 visitors of all ages can get involved in a range of drop-in events, combining art and science, from 10.30am to 3.30pm each day. Children (accompanied by adults) are admitted free at Wakehurst and the art activities are free for all garden visitors.

All the activities take their inspiration from Wakehurst's magnificent collection of trees, which are currently ablaze with autumn colour.

There's a chance to become a Tree-mendous Designer making bark rubbings and gathering materials and sketches to create your own artwork. In Wakehurst Mansion use Naked Leaves - leaf skeletons - to produce striking black and white images; and younger children can take part in a Tree Wrap Rub, making wrapping paper decorated with leaf rubbings.

In the Millennium Seed Bank help design Nature's Patchwork, using fruits and seeds to create a giant patchwork poster.

Also try out Wakehurst's new Brilliant Bark Trail and have fun finding out about trees. Follow the trail through Horsebridge Wood to enjoy an autumn walk and discover more about Wakehurst's North American trees, currently providing some of the finest seasonal colour. Visitors are being encouraged to take pictures of some of the different patterns and colours of bark along the route, which will go on display in the Mansion.

Susan Allan, Wakehurst's Head of Learning, said: “Wakehurst is the perfect place for children to unwind during half term, and have fun getting creative and learning about nature at the same time.

Our ‘Tree-mendous' activities will encourage visitors to take a fresh look at different parts of the garden and provide plenty of inspiration for getting arty!”

Wakehurst Place is home to formal gardens, natural woodlands, nature reserves and a sixteenth century Mansion; plus the Millennium Seed Bank, the largest wild seed collection in world. It is located on the B2028 between Ardingly and Turners Hill (Junction 10 off the M23), West Sussex, and open daily, from 10am, except December 24 and 25. For more information, telephone 01444 894066 or log on to www.kew.org.

ENDS

Images

A selection of autumn colour images is available from: http://www.kew.org/press/images/wakehurst

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