London’s royal parks in focus

A PROMOTIONAL VIDEO about London’s eight royal parks – which attract more than 77 million visitors a year – park can be seen on YouTube. Shot in 2015/16, the 2-minute, 22-second Park Stories film shows highlights of all of the parks, which cover 5,000 acres and cost approximately £36 million a year to manage.

The film features history and heritage and flora and fauna –Richmond and Bushy Parks are both Special Sites of Scientific Interest – and highlights the protected view of St Paul’s Cathedral from Richmond and the iconic views of the city from Greenwich Park and Primrose Hill … as well as one of London’s most famous streets, The Mall.

The parks are home to an abundance of wildlife deer, ducks, swans, bees, butterflies, and bats.

The video – One City, Eight Parks, Millions of Stories – can be seen at www.youtube.com/watch?v=o-F3yS6UKj0

Those 8 royal parks:

• Bushy Park 

• Green Park 

• Hyde Park 

• Kensington Gardens 

• Regents Park & Primrose Hill 

• Richmond Park 

• St. James's Park

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Gardens around the globe

HIGHLIGHTS of the Royal Horticultural Society’s 2016/17 #garden #holidays programme include: 

• The Landscape Gardens of Capability Brown 
• Gardens and Wildflowers of South Africa's Western Cape 
• Two tours of the French Riviera featuring the Menton Lemon Festival in February and the International Rose Festival in Grasse in May 
• Architecture and Gardens of Andalucia tour, which includes a visit to Cordoba's patio festival 

With expert hosts on many departures, the programme features 26 escorted tours to destinations including Italy, France, Spain, Portugal and the Azores, Sweden, South Africa, Japan, New Zealand, Chile and Sri Lanka, plus Britain and Ireland. 

Hosts include Christopher Bailes, former curator of the Chelsea Physic Garden, Jekka McVicar, one of Britain’s leading experts on herbs, and Sabatino Urzo from RHS Garden Wisley.

Itineraries showcase horticulture in its widest sense encompassing private, botanic, and historic gardens, wild landscapes, national parks, vineyards, nurseries, and charitable gardening projects. Wherever possible, exclusive access has been secured as well as private openings and a welcome from the garden owner or curator. 

www.rhsgardenholidays.com 

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Picture Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/93242958@N00/4827924180">Pincushion at Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden</a> via <a href="http://photopin.com">photopin</a> <a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/">(license)

Orchids on show

KEW GARDENS in London will be hosting an orchid festival from February 7 to March 8.

The story of orchid pollination will be brought to life by a pond centrepiece, a giant bloom crafted from flowers, and visitors will also see horticultural displays.

Elisa Biondi, a display horticulturalist at Kew says: ‘I’ve been thrilled to work on the designs for the festival. Orchids are not beautiful for nothing and it’s incredibly exciting to be able to show visitors just how clever they are through our displays.’

www.kew.org/visit-kew-gardens/whats-on/orchids


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Picture Credit: 'Orchids, Kew Gardens, Surrey - geograph.org.uk - 1182701' by Christine Matthews via Wikimedia Commons

Keep ON the grass!

EASTON WALLED GARDENS in Lincolnshire has a strict 'Keep ON the grass' policy, welcoming children for a half term (October 22-31) of exploring and creating.  Activities will include amongst other activities  the ancient game of pumpkin rolling.

                         

Visitors can feed the snails, create their own grass hedgehog, design Halloween masks and explore the 12 acres of gardens. 

Adults can walk in 12 acres of grounds and discover the history of the 400-year old gardens: GoTo www.eastonwalledgardens.co.uk

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Picture Credit: Easton Walled Gardens view towards the Gatehouse by Richard Croft via Wikimedia Commons

Heritage holidays in the park

IMAGINE being able to stay in a heritage cottage in one of the world's great parks. That’s what’s on offer with The Residences in Sydney’s Centennial Park.

Sydney's Centennial Park by popejon2 from Paddington, Australia via WikiMedia Commons

They are two Victorian-era cottages which have been restored and refurbished as boutique, self-contained short-stay accommodation experiences.

Kim Ellis, executive director of Sydney's Parklands and Botanic Gardens, said: ‘The restoration of these historic cottages was a key project in the Centennial Park Master Plan. 

As one of the world's great parks, we now have an iconic offering that will enhance and support the long-term sustainability of these vital public spaces for the whole community. 

Horse riders, Centennial Park, Sydney, Australia - by Sardaka  via Wikimedia Commons

With horse riding, bike hire, native flora and fauna, formal gardens and a vibrant range of community events on the doorstep, these are set to become a truly iconic short-stay experience.’


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